Life As a Black
by findingmymuse
Summary: Prequel to "The Black's Are Back". Not typical Nessie's kid story.
1. Miracle of Birth

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer, blah, blah, blah. Not gonna put that again so don't bug me lol. FYI, I'm not one of those writers that hassles for reviews but the more I get, the faster I post new chapters. :) **

Chapter One

Jacob's POV

The second I phased back to my human form, I pulled on my sweats and went to find Nessie. She was going to be ecstatic.

I spotted my imprint and girlfriend, Nessie, on the piano bench next to her father Edward. The enchanting melody that enveloped the whole house was too beautiful for me to interrupt, but I was on a mission after all.

I replayed my conversation with my wolf brothers in my head for Edward to hear.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Did you hear that Emily's gone into contractions? _Seth asked excitedly.

_Who didn't hear her? _Leah said cynically; she still hadn't ever gotten over the whole 'in-love-with-Sam-then-he-imprints-on-my-cousin' thing. _The girl has a set of lungs. I bet all the residents in La Push could hear her._

_Why aren't you guys there already? _I asked. Emily had made it quite clear that she wanted to see every wolf once her little girls were born.

_Because, Sherlock, our Alpha was requested by Mr. High and Mighty himself. _Leah sneered. I knew this must be hard for her, watching the former love of her life having children with her best friend.

_I'm coming. I've just gotta run by the house to grab Nessie. Tell the Uleys that we'll be there soon._

I felt the siblings and fellow members of my pack phase back as I ran through the forest. When another voice entered my mind, I was startled.

_Jake! I'm a father! _Sam screamed in my mind, too excited to contain himself.

I chuckled. _Shouldn't you be getting back to them, then? And Emily? _

_I am. Emily is resting and Carlisle is cleaning the babies up. Who would have thought that a werewolf's child would be delivered by a vampire? I just wanted to make sure that you got my message from Seth. _He replied and I caught the briefest glimpse of one of the girls.

_You weren't supposed to see that. You hear? _Sam said, his Alpha voice seeping through even though it had no affect on me. _Emily has me on strict orders not to reveal the girls' names or 'photos' until she can present them to people herself. _

_I didn't see anything. _I replied, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

_That's what I thought. I gotta get back. Hurry up so you can see the girls. _Sam said as he phased back. I could just barely hear the last of his sentence.

_End Flashback_

Edward looked at me over his shoulders and his hands froze, hovering them above the keys.

"Renesme, sweetie, Jacob has something he wants to tell you." He murmured and my Ness's face turned around to find mine.

"Jaaaakkkkeeee!" She exclaimed, leaving the piano bench to tackle me with a hug. She was strong for a human but weak for a vampire; either way, she was the perfect strength to make me catch my breath as we fell to the floor. "I missed you."

"I missed you too Nessie." I commented as we righted ourselves. I wouldn't have bothered if we didn't have somewhere else to be. I loved the feel of Nessie against my chest and I couldn't wait to…

Edward hissed under his breath and I shot him a look. He knew as well as I did that I meant propose to Nessie so we could just sit around and I could hold her whenever I wanted.

He shook his head and glared at my Ness who was blushing furiously. Oooooh.

"You had something to tell me?" Nessie hinted, her adorable eyes mysterious.

"Emily had the babies." I announced and in the next second I was being pulled out the door by a 'seven' year old. She was fully mature but it still bugged Bella that she wasn't her little girl anymore and she was soon to be mine officially. I was only waiting on confirmation from Nessie that she wanted to marry me.

We arrived at the one story house and let ourselves in. It was a pack tradition to not knock and somehow Nessie had picked up the habit as well.

"Hey Grandpa." Ness greeted Carlisle as he passed us in the hall. He nodded his head in response, already on the way back to the hospital.

We entered the back bedroom and Ness was at Emily's side in an instant. The two had become extremely close, much more than my imprint and Leah ever did, over the years.

"Can we see them?" I asked, looking around for Sam.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Sam walked back into the room carrying three bundles of wiggling life forms. He uncovered their faces from the pink blankets and placed one in my, Ness's, and Emily's arms.

"I'd like to introduce, in order of birth, Vanessa," Sam pointed at the bundle in Nessie's arms, "Theresa," he gestured to the girl in my arms, "and Tessa." At that, he pointed to the smallest of the three, in Emily's comforting embrace.

All three girls were identical with coal black hair, russet skin, and brown eyes. I'm just assuming on the eye color for all of them though, but Theresa opened one of her tiny ones up and it was a warm chocolate color and I assumed that they all had the same.

"Oh, Em, they're so beautiful." My Nessie complimented, running her finger across the cheek of the baby in her arms, Vanessa I think. "I can't wait until Jake and I have our own…if we can, that is."

"If you're an imprint, you can have 'em." Sam said from behind me and I blushed. I'm pretty sure Nessie's were the same shade as well. "That's what its for. To carry on the wolf genes to a new generation."

"You mean it, Ness?" I asked, trying to ignore what Sam had just said. She nodded and everything clicked into place. I suddenly _knew_ that she wanted to be with me and I couldn't hold it in any longer.

My eyes locked on hers and I knew this was what she wanted. The imprint pull was leading me and I couldn't ignore it if it was what Nessie wanted.

This wasn't how I planned this moment to go, I had always imagined us on First Beach strolling hand-in-hand when I'd drop to one knee and say those magic words. Instead, we were in someone else's house, holding their kids as I asked, "Renesme Carlie Cullen, will you marry me?"


	2. Happily Ever After

**AN: Some people might notice that I used most of this chapter for "The Black's Are Back" but that's as far as it goes. The way I wrote the wedding scene was too good for me to not use in this story. Just humor me and read this again if you read the first chapter of that story because I changed some things. Thanks :)**

Chapter 2

Renesme's POV

I smiled at my Jacob as soon as I spotted him in the midst of equally handsome, young men standing next to him. My father was at my side, gently making me walk slower than I wanted. I'm so nervous because today is my wedding day.

I glanced at the vampire beside me and thought **please, Daddy. I just want to get down the isle already**.

Edward nodded, being a mind reader and all, and picked up the pace but not so much that a normal human would notice the change.

And there were quite a lot of humans present.

All sixteen of the wolves were here to witness for Jacob, their Alpha, and Billy Black, his father was here.

Sue Clearwater was sitting next to my fully human grandfather Charlie, tears in both of their eyes. It wouldn't be long before the two of them tied the knot, but that's just my opinion.

My grandmother Renee and her husband Phil were standing towards the back of the room, not really that familiar with anyone here besides my parents. They thought that I was Edward's little sister who he had found after many years of searching. That would have been more believable if we both didn't look seventeen but from what my mother tells me, Renee is extremely gullible despite being spot on about subtle things.

There were numerous vampires here as well.

My immediate family were all part of the bridal party; Grandpa Carlisle, Grandma Esme, my aunts Rosalie and Alice and my uncles Emmett and Jasper, as well as both my mother and father, the ever so lovely Bella and Edward.

The Denali's, Amazons, Egyptians, Romanian and even the Irish Coven was all here. Peter and Charlotte, my favorite nomads, made it here last minute and were sitting on the bride's side by the sixteen other vampire guests.

We reached the front and Edward kissed my cheek as he lifted up my veil. He placed my hands in Jacob and gave him a stern look with a whispered, "I can still kill you, mutt."

Jacob nodded, slightly threatened, before I captured his attention.

I sent him, with my power,** He won't hurt you. You mean too much to me Jake. **

Even though I still used my power, it is less often than I did as a baby and only when I want a semi-private moment. (I've learned that you can't avoid my dad in my head unless I want a terrible headache later.)

The ceremony was perfect, as all of Alice's functions are, and the only thing that I didn't like was the "to death do us part"s were replaced with "as long as we both shall live"s as Carlisle legally married us. I felt that we should both be realistic.

Sure, we can live forever, but neither one of us is certain that an accident won't occur and take the other one from us. (Alice, on the other hand, didn't seem too concerned with this "petty" fear of mine and ignored my requests.)

The wolves exploded with cheers when Jake and my classy peck on the lips turned into a full out make-out session in front of all of our guests. I blushed sheepishly but Jake just puffed out his chest. Ah, to be a caveman again.

The ceremony might have been too extravagant for my liking (and definitely Jake's) but this was Alice's last party in the huge Cullen mansion in Forks. After the wedding, we were all going our own separate ways; with our mates of course.

Carlisle and Esme were going to Alaska with the Denali's, along with Alice and Jasper who have been missing Tanya and Garrett's company.

Emmett and Rose were going to travel the world (again) and pick a new place to live as soon as they got bored with the one they were at.

Mama and Daddy were going to Dartmouth, like they were supposed to before I was conceived and messed up their plans.

Edward scowled and I instantly knew that he felt the regret behind my thoughts. I shook my head and thought of all the good times that I knew my family wished had lasted longer, trying to make him feel better. We all knew that I was an accident, a welcome one, but an accident nonetheless. I still hadn't gotten over the whole thing yet, but I knew that I had an eternity to deal with those emotions.

Right now I needed to focus on the handsome man that is now my husband. Jake twirled me around the dance floor, not letting anyone dance with me until seven songs had passed.

"One for every year that I've loved you." He whispered as Edward stepped in and took his place. It wasn't long before my feet were sore from dancing with every single person, werewolf, and vampire in the room.

I smiled gratefully when Alice announced that everyone had to grab their tiny rice bags from their tables. This was our cue to head outside and into the limo. Jacob grabbed my hand and we darted (at a human pace) to the limo as all of our guests showered us with rice.

Jake winced when someone with incredible aim hit him square on the back of the head. I scowled at my dad, the likely culprit, and he smiled innocently.

All coherent thoughts left my mind when Jake dragged me into the back of the limo and closed the door behind us. The driver, sensing our excitement, sped all the way to the hotel that we had booked for our honeymoon.

Jake was still kissing up and down my neck-driving me mad!-when the driver knocked on his window to let us know that we'd arrived.

'_This _is what we've both been waiting for.' I thought as he carried me into the hotel room, my lips never leaving his despite the three flights of stairs he had to walk up.


	3. Morning Sickness

Chapter Three

Jacob's POV

Ness and I had been honeymooning for a little over a week now and I wasn't looking forward to having to return to La Push in another week. The Cullens paid for two weeks at the high class hotel and I would have to sell everything I own to stay just one extra night. Not that Nessie wouldn't be worth that, but I have a feeling she would start getting homesick soon.

I was in the middle of a dream about last night when I heard a strange sound coming from the bathroom.

"Ness? Is that you?" I asked, rolling over in bed to find that the sheets next to me were empty.

I slipped some boxers on and strolled to the bathroom door where I heard the noise coming from.

I knocked lightly on the door and the noise stopped momentarily. I could smell Ness's sweet scent on the other side of the door and I panicked. Why wasn't she responding?

"Nessie, open the door right now!" I said with my Alpha tone. I hated using the voice with my Ness but I felt it was necessary now, something was wrong-I could feel it.

"I'm coming in!" I said panicky and opened the door, cracking the wood in the casing as I did so.

Nessie was sprawled on the floor, her head hovering over the toilet. From the vile visible in the water, I could tell that she had been getting sick for at least an hour.

"Ja-cob." Ness said, looking at me with fear in her eyes.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked, kneeling down to sit next to her. I gently pulled her hair out of her face, careful not to touch the vomit that had accidentally gotten in her beautiful golden-brown hair.

"I…Jake…I." Nessie stuttered, trying not to meet my eyes. I placed my hand under her chin and forced her to look at me.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked again, this time slower than I had the first time.

"That's it…" She said, her bottom lip quivering as if she were afraid of something.

"Sweetie, I don't know what you are talking about." I said with a light chuckle. "What's it?"

"Baby." Nessie said, as if that answered everything.

"Yeah, I'm your baby." I said, still confused. I couldn't help but smile though. "And you're mine. But what's wrong, Ness?"

"No, Jake." Nessie said, shaking her head. "Baby." She said, gesturing towards her stomach and then the toilet.

She didn't mean….

Suddenly, a cheesy grin spread across my face. We were having a baby. A _baby_. A little miniature version of the two of us.

Nessie looked at me warily and my smile dropped. "Why aren't you happy?"

"I'm scared, Jakey. What if…what if it's like me?" She asked, her eyes growing to the size of saucers. "I killed her, Jake. If it weren't for dad changing her, then I would have grown up with a single parent. Jake, I can't do that to the baby…or to you."

My heart stopped when she said that. A life without Nessie? Even the joy of becoming a father wasn't worth that.

"What…what are we gonna do?" I asked, dismay clear in my voice.

"I don't know. We'll have to get back home and talk to Carlisle." Nessie said brokenly. "I won't let him turn me to keep me here."

We sat in awkward silence for a minute, each of us caught up in our own thoughts. Finally, I broke the silence. "What makes you so sure that you won't make it?"

"What?" Nessie asked back, startled. She hadn't been expecting me to keep this conversation going.

"You are stronger than your mother was. Ness, she was human. You're only half!" I said logically, though I felt panicked. "Your vampire side is probably strong enough to carry and deliver the baby."

She eyed me carefully, her eyes roaming over my face as if she were searching for something. Finally, she said, with adoration. "You want this baby."

I sighed, knowing that that wasn't the response she wanted. "How could I not?" I asked softly. "This baby is a part of us, Ness. I think I know why Bella wanted to keep you so badly when we were all against the idea because you were killing her at that point. I already love the future we'll have with this tiny bundle of joy."

Nessie winced when I mentioned that, but she just shrugged. "Maybe I'm just not meant to have kids." She said, glancing at me sadly. "I'm sorry Jake."

I shook my head in denial, slowly getting angry. My arms were shaking at the thought of Nessie not having the baby that I could already hear the heartbeats of.

"No." I growled. "You are my freaking imprint. You are meant to carry on my genes. You can't deny me this."

She shuddered at my tone and I felt guilty. I had never used that tone with her. "I didn't mean it like that Ness." I apologized as she started sobbing. "Its just that after seeing Sam's triplets, I want that. I want it so bad, Ness."

"So do I, Jake, but I'm scared." She admitted, still sobbing. "I don't wanna di-die."

"Shh. Ness, its okay." I murmured, wrapping my arms around her. "We'll figure this all out. In the meantime, why don't we order room service. You up to eating?"

Nessie nodded and smiled weakly at me. I could tell that she still felt bad about bombarding me with this information and then ripping my hopes and dreams from me in one single conversation.

"I won't let this baby hurt you, Ness." I whispered so she couldn't hear. "But I can't let you get rid of it either."


	4. Telling The Family

Chapter Four

Nessie's POV

I could feel Jake's disappointment the rest of the day, even though he tried to hide it. I felt bad for doing this to him, but I wasn't as strong as my mother was. I wasn't strong enough to risk my life for an unnamed possibility.

"Are you ready to go, Ness?" Jake asked, eyeing my half packed bag with a small smile.

I shook my head and picked up another shirt to fold. Jake came to my side of the room and picked up a few of my garments and started shoving them in my open suitcase.

I frowned. "Jakey, you're not doing that right." I teased, placing my hand on his arm to stop him from doing any more damage to my packing job.

Instead of replying with a sarcastic, "Oh, really?" he merely murmured an apology.

"Don't do that." I said with a broken voice.

My Jacob froze, his hands hovering over the suitcase. "I stopped packing, Ness." He answered, confused.

"Not that…walking on eggshells for me." I admitted. "You're upset and I can tell, but you act like you're fine for my sake. I just want you to stop it. If you have something to say to me, then say it, Jake. Imprint or no imprint, I'm your wife."

"I love you Nessie." He began softly, but I could hear the 'but' coming on. "But I don't think you have the right to choose whether or not we have this baby…Ness, we created the baby on accident, but it's here now. We'll just have to deal with your petty fears and any complications when they come along. I just…I feel like this is destiny."

"What if I don't want destiny?" I said stubbornly.

Jake flinched and hid in his own mind for a few minutes. At long last, he finally spoke. "You can't fight destiny. Oh, sure, you can run from it and get yourself lost off the path leading to it, but you'll always find yourself headed back in that direction."

"That was so sweet, Jak-" I said but he gently cupped my chin in his hand to shush me. He leant in closer to place a kiss on my forehead, my cheeks, my nose, and finally my lips.

"If your mom had fought destiny, I wouldn't be able to kiss you like this whenever I want." Jake said as he continued to place kisses on random parts of my face. "I wouldn't be able to call the woman who I was put on this earth to protect my wife if Bella hadn't gathered enough courage to go on with the pregnancy. I wouldn't have you, Nessie, and for that, I am eternally in Bella's debt."

"I never thought of it like that, Jakey." I said in awe. Could I honestly deprive one of the wolves (if it was meant to be with my child) the love that only an imprint can complement? I don't think I could. Not since I had experienced it my whole life. It would be hypocritical if I did.

"Don't think about any of that now though, Ness." He added when he saw the concern on my face. "We haven't made any decisions or even talked this over with the rest of your family yet so you're jumping the gun a little, baby."

The car ride home was tense. I could tell that Jake was nervous about what I was thinking and a little bit disappointed that we couldn't continue our honeymoon like we were supposed to. In all honesty, I was too. I had been looking forward to more alone time with Jake.

"We're here, Ness." Jacob said as he sprinted to the other side of the cab and opened my door for me. He was treating me like he usually did, like a princess, but suddenly it felt different. He was looking out for the…baby now too.

Before we could even make it through the front door, Edward had Jacob pined to the ground. He was growling and cussing up a storm (in PigLatin because he thought that I didn't know that language because he wasn't the one to teach me.)

"Daddy! Daddy, stop it! Please, you're hurting my Jacob!" I screamed and the rest of my family piled out of the house. Jasper and Emmett started trying to ply Edward off of Jacob but he was resisting them.

I was crying and big wet tears were running down my face. Bella and Esme wrapped their arms around me in comfort while Rose whispered to Carlisle about what was going on. Neither of them seemed to know why Edward reacted that way…but I did.

"Daddy, you don't understand!" I yelled again. His eyes snapped up to meet mine and he dropped his head in shame when he saw my tears.

"He…and you…and them…" He was talking in circles so I knew he must have heard our thoughts. Suddenly, he caught Carlisle's eye and nodded.

"What's going on Edward?" Rose asked dumbly, and for the first time in my life, I saw her as the blonde she really was. I wiped my tears but I could still feel more on the horizon. Stupid pregnancy hormones.

"Jacob and Renesme have some news they'd like to share with us." He commented, gesturing that the floor was all ours.

I couldn't look at Jake because every time I did, I would feel tears threaten to escape. This was supposed to be happy news, yet I didn't want everyone to get their hopes up if I didn't go through with the pregnancy.

Edward stared at me in shock, picking up my thoughts, and I shook my head. _I'm scared, Daddy. _

When Jake noticed that I wasn't going to be the one to make our announcement, he spoke up gravely from the ground. "Nessie is pregnant."

And with those three little seemingly harmless words, my whole world changed.


	5. Information

Chapter Five

Jake's POV

I paced the floor in front of Nessie who was getting a check-up from Dr. Vamp. I couldn't stand to think that she was still unsure about whether or not she was able to have this baby, but I knew that she would take her sweet time deciding. And I'd let her because I loved her that much.

I just wish she would quit considering it as an option.

I know it sounds selfish of me, but I want to be a father. I want to hold a tiny version of Ness and kiss its little tears away when it got hurt and read it stories to chase away the nightmares and teach it to phase…

Wait, what? I was imagining my kid phasing? Was that even possible with a kid that would have a werewolf father and a half-vampire mother? Does that mean it could have the chance of being venomous?

Oh God. What had we done? Werewolves and vampires are enemies for a reason. My kid could kill me!

The second the thought escaped, I regretted it. Nessie was my imprint for a reason. Unless fate was cruel to me by taking my first love and then making me fall completely head over heels in love with her daughter only so our kid could kill me just to mess with me, then I had nothing to worry about.

"Jacob." Carlisle said and ushered me to stop pacing.

I instantly stopped moving and sat down on a chair on the other side of the room. When my thoughts finally drove me mad, I stood back up and continued walking back and forth.

He chuckled when he noticed me pacing again. My thoughts were moving too fast for me to keep up with and the best way to fix that was to distract myself by doing something that kept me moving.

"You have nothing to worry about Jacob," Carlisle commented loud enough for the whole house to hear, "you're having two healthy babies."

"Yo-you can see them?" I asked, trying to see the picture on the sonogram thing that he had been messing with for the past hour. "I thought you couldn't get a clear reading of Bella when she was pregnant?"

"Bella had a half vampire baby. It looks like you have two normal babies, Jake." Doc said and Nessie smiled so widely that I thought her cheeks might explode.

"Did you hear that Jake?" She asked blissfully. "Normal babies! And twins no less!"

I guess the fact that she wasn't going to have to deliver the way her mother did made her forget all about not wanting to keep them in the first place.

The rest of the family joined us in the study and offered us both congratulations. Edward was the last to enter the room and he mouthed his apologies to me before kissing his daughter on the head.

_I forgive you, Gramps. _I thought with a smirk on my face.

His expression changed quickly though he tried to hide it. I could tell that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his seven year old daughter was married and pregnant.

"Do you know the genders yet?" Rosalie asked excitedly. I could tell Blondie couldn't wait for the new babies even though she always seemed to hate me.

Carlisle just shook his head. "It's too soon to tell. Nessie is only about three weeks pregnant physically because of the fast way that the children are growing."

"So it'll be like Emily's pregnancy?" I asked. "Six months?"

Edward answered this time, getting the answer from Doc's head. "She's already further along than Emily was at five days pregnant so Renesme will probably deliver in about four months."

"That's not enough time!" Alice shouted, catching us all off guard.

When we all turned to stare at her, she explained, "We have to get a nursery ready and finish building Jake and Nessie's wedding present house and shop for the little tikes and pick out names. I've got to start planning…"

My Ness rolled her eyes at her aunt who already seemed to be off in her own world of shopping and planning. Let her have her fun. I wouldn't admit this to anyone but the mind reader, but other than Bella and of course Nessie, Alice was my favorite Cullen. She didn't put up with the things us werewolves did and always tried to get us on our best behavior so we wouldn't think of ourselves as poor natives. I won't even mention the amount of time she spends trying to find suits in my size for whenever Nessie wants to go out. The woman was a miracle worker-she even had Embry saying "yes, ma'm."

A few hours later, when all the excitement wore off, I took Nessie back to my house. Even though Alice let the bag out about them making us a house like they did for Edward and Bella, I felt that we should stay at La Push until the babies came.

What I didn't count on was Paul and a very pregnant Rachel being there.

I groaned when I unlocked the door and saw my sister and her husband on the couch watching tv. Nessie giggled and waved at a physically eight month pregnant Rachel.

"Hey there Jake. Nessie." Rachel spoke up, her hands on her pregnant belly. "I hear congratulations are in order." She said with a knowing grin.

"What? How'd you know I'm pregnant?" Nessie asked and Rachel's jaw dropped.

"I…I just meant on your marriage." She stuttered, eyeing me carefully. "I'm real sorry that I couldn't make it but morning sickness apparently can last all day."

"Wait, you're pregnant?" Paul asked, looking from my imprint to his.

"Um…yeah. Physically three weeks is what Carlisle said." Nessie said with half a smile.

"Man, Jake dude, I don't know how La Push will be able to handle all these kids running around." Paul said. "Did you hear that Emily's pregnant again? Just found out the day after your wedding. Though, it doesn't surprise me. Those two are always going at it and it's a wonder they even remember they have three girls already by the way they act."

"Jeez, those two better slow down or they'll repopulate the whole earth twice over." I joked and Paul cracked a smile.

"Leah and Embry won't be far behind." Rachel teased and I stared at her in shock. How did she find out about Embry's crush?

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I lead Nessie to the other couch.

"You haven't phased since the wedding have you?" Rach asked and I shook my head. "Well, that explains it. Sometime during the reception, the two imprinted on each other and ran to Vegas."

"They'll be back when they run out of money to spend on their honeymoon." Paul prophesized.

"You sure it was Leah and Embry?" Ness asked bewildered.

"Yeah, apparently all the extra vamps in the area set off the imprint." Paul said. "Sam is calling this 'baby mania' because the legends claim that werewolves will instinctively start having children when they think there is a threat…aka, all those visiting vamps."

"So we caused this?" Nessie asked, looking at me with sad tear filled eyes.


	6. Newest Editions

Chapter Six

Renesme's POV

Baby Mania had set in at La Push and I was glad that I was in my new home with Jacob on the border line instead of still at Billy's house with Rachel and Paul.

Rachel had her hands full with three month old twin boys of her own and I don't think Billy would be able to handle four babies under one roof. My nephews were adorable and they looked identical in every way. Joseph and Jonathan Black looked just like their father but with subtle touches of Rachel mixed in.

Seth and his imprint Amber were expecting a little boy who they were going to name Harry (after Seth's dead father) when the little tike came out. Amber had four whole months ahead of her though since she was the last wolf to get his imprint pregnant (other than Quil of course, but his imprint Claire is still only nine.)

Emily has two months left of her second pregnancy-twins I think were what Carlisle predicted. Turns out, Leah was indeed pregnant herself, though she seemed to be the only one who was having a traditional nine month pregnancy instead of the typical six month werewolf pregnancy. She was four months along (as was Emily even though Em looked like she was seven months pregnant physically.)

The two cousins were being treated like royalty. Embry and Sam were ecstatic to be fathers, maybe even more than Jake was (and that's saying something because Jake is over the moon about our babies.)

On top of all of that, my own due date was fast approaching. My quickened four month pregnancy was causing my nerves to drive my family near insanity.

Carlisle visited every day to give the twins a checkup but it had been decided yesterday that he was going to be living with Jacob and I until the kids were born. I thought it was ridicules considering the Cullen house was ten minutes away, but Jake was insistent that I didn't have any complications so I didn't push the subject.

Daddy and Carlisle were the only ones who knew the genders of the twins because Jake and I wanted to keep it a surprise the way I had been. Carlisle did the sonogram test when the genders were noticeable and Edward caught a glimpse of the 'parts' before I announced that I wanted to keep it a secret.

That didn't stop Alice from buying two of everything in boy and girl colors, incase I had two girls or two boys or even one of each then I'd be prepared. I think she secretly just wanted to buy a lot of baby stuff because she thought the clothes in that size were 'too cute!'

Jake and I were discussing baby names for the hundredth time (even though we both knew we were going to name our children after people we loved so it didn't matter how much we hated/loved the name Alexandra Carina Elizabeth for a girl.) when I felt water dripping from the bottom of my sundress.

"Carlisle!" Jake yelled even though the vampire could hear it if he'd whispered. "I think Nessie's water just broke!"

Carlisle was in the room within a second and he motioned for Jacob to lay me on the couch. Jake picked me up gently, as if I were some breakable glass vase, and placed me on the couch.

"Go call the Cullens. These babies don't seem to want to wait any longer." Carlisle advised as he pulled a sheet over my propped up legs and got prepared to catch the kids.

I know most people would find it creepy that their grandfather was delivering their children, but for me there wasn't anyone I trusted more than Carlisle. Besides, I didn't want a stranger to deliver my flesh and blood when we weren't entirely sure they wouldn't be completely human.

"They're on their way." Jake said as he came back into the room and took a seat next to me. I grabbed his hand as pain erupted throughout the lower part of my body.

"So are the babies." Carlisle joked and I shot him a glare. Now wasn't the time.

"Push Nessie." Edward said urgently as he walked through the doorway.

"I am pushing!" I exclaimed, squeezing Jake's hand until I heard bones crush.

"The first baby is ready to come out, Renesme. It's head is crowning." Carlisle said as the rest of my family filed into the room. They stood behind my head so as not to distract us.

With one last push, I felt relief as a mass left my body. Jacob cut the umbilical cord quickly and returned to sitting by my side. Esme cleaned the baby up so she wasn't a bloody mess and everyone ooh'd and aah'd when they saw the beautiful little girl.

"Okay, get ready Nessie." Carlisle advised and I braced myself. This one seemed to be fighting against my movements and it took a lot longer to deliver this one than the first.

Jake cut the umbilical cord again then continued to murmur sweet nothings to me as he stroked my sweaty forehead. Esme cleaned this baby up too and smiled at Jake.

"Come meet your son." She said and I laughed outright. A healthy girl and a boy!

"I know just what we'll call him." I said, sitting up so I could hold my babies. Esme handed him to me and I smiled. "This, is Edward Jacob Cullen-Black."

I kissed the top of his short bronze-black hair. He opened his eyelids and I gasped. He had the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. The name was more fitting than ever now that I knew he had my dad's human green eyes.

EJ had the same skin color as I did and I wondered if he would shimmer as well or if he'd have the phasing gene. None of that mattered to me, though it scared Jacob to death. I would love my children no matter what they were like.

Jacob smiled at me in response to our son's name choice. "You get to name our daughter then." I commented, gesturing to the pale russet skinned girl in his arms. "Its only fair." I said when he looked like he was about to protest.

"I was thinking of Carlie, after you," he said with a blush, "and Alison, after the pixie because I would have never had the courage to ask you out all those months ago if it weren't for her nagging me and then I wouldn't have proposed or even had these kids."

I smiled. "Carlie Alison Cullen-Black." I said, liking the way her name tasted on my lips. It was perfect. I switched babies with Jake and looked at her familiar brown eyes. I was glad that one of my kids had my mother's eyes so we could keep the tradition going. Carlie had short curly black ringlets that were the perfect combination of mine and Jake's hair. His beautiful color and my adorable texture.

"What about the rest of us?" Rose asked with a pout. "I call the next kid to be named after me."

I stared at Jake with wide eyes. Would we even have anymore children? The smile that lit up his face gave me my answer.

"It's a deal." I promised and twisted my head to see my Jacob better. Jake leant down to kiss me like I wanted and I smiled against his lips.


	7. A Year Later

Chapter Seven

Jacob's POV

It has been one year since Carlie and EJ were born and our little family was finally getting used to it. From what we can tell, Carlie inherited my werewolf gene and EJ inherited Nessie's vampire traits.

Even though he's venomous, he knows not to hurt humans. Edward is constantly monitoring his thoughts to make sure he isn't thinking anything that could get him in trouble and I'm grateful that EJ doesn't mind his vegetarian vampire diet. Since EJ usually hunts with Nessie or one of the Cullens, it leaves more bonding time for me and Carlie.

Carlie looks like a typical one year old and has just learned to walk. Even though it was a feat that EJ learned at three weeks old, it was a huge accomplishment for Carlie and the whole family was super proud.

EJ grew like Nessie did and already looked like he was almost three. He had an advanced vocabulary that Carlie still hadn't picked up. Our little girl was determined to do this like a normal human and had only just begun saying "dada" and "mama."

I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard the pitter-patter of little feet. EJ came bounding into the room and Nessie followed behind with Carlie on her hip and a baby bump visible from under her t-shirt. God, I loved my wife.

"Hey there, kiddo." I said and EJ smiled. I noticed that his hands were behind his back and I motioned for him to show me what it was. "What's that you've got there?"

EJ pulled his hands around and opened his tiny fists to show me the handful of dirt. "This is Wormy. Mommy said I should name it that even though he's a _Lumbricus terrestris._"

I stared at the tiny worm that was barely visible in the dark soil. "An earthworm, huh?" I asked with a grin. "I remember when I was younger, I used to cut their bodies in half just to watch them grow back."

"That's messed up, Dad." EJ commented, shaking his little head in disgust.

"Well, what do you plan to do with him?" I asked, and I saw Nessie trying to hold in a laugh.

"He's my animal companionship." EJ replied. "Anything with more blood in it appeals to me, but Wormy doesn't have an effect on me."

"He's your pet?" I asked in disbelief. My half vampire son wanted a worm as a pet?

EJ nodded and I couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright then, why don't you find a box to keep him in and go gather some more dirt."

He nodded and took off for the front yard again. Nessie came to sit next to me on the couch and Carlie started reaching for me with her teeny-tiny hands. Ness rolled her eyes and passed our daughter to me.

"We missed you today." She commented as I fixed Carlie's blue sundress against her legs. "They always have more fun at the park when you're there."

"I know and I'm sorry. I missed you guys too." I said, leaning over to kiss Nessie.

She responded eagerly and I could feel her excitement. We hadn't been the same intimately since she got pregnant the second time. That was mostly due to the fact that this baby was growing like crazy.

Baby Number Three as we nicknamed it (we had decided not to find out the gender on this one either) was nothing like EJ and Carlie's pregnancy.

Nessie was already physically eight months along even though she was technically only two months along. I was beyond worried, but Carlisle assured me that the baby was perfectly fine and that Nessie wouldn't have to have a pregnancy like Bella did. The last thing I wanted was for the baby to have to claw its way out of my Ness.

I pulled away from Nessie's kiss and apologized again. "Sorry I couldn't go with you today. But now that Sam stopped phasing, I had to take over the pack. It won't be long before most of the wolves quit phasing." I said with concern.

That was the problem with imprinting on normal human girls. The wolves would outlive them by hundreds of years if they didn't stop phasing. It was really hard to do, especially since Nessie and EJ still lived nearby. The Cullens split up to various places but are on their way back for Number Three's birth.

"What's the baby count now?" Nessie asked. She hadn't seen the pack since she got pregnant with Number Three and I could tell that she missed the imprints.

"Well Sam and Emily have Vanessa, Tia, & Tessa, and Samuel & Emilia. Leah and Embry just have Sara Sue, though I expect it won't be long before she's pregnant again. Seth and Amber have their hands full with Harry and their newborns, Miles & Mike."

"Paul and Rachel have decided not to have any more kids because Joey and Johnny are such a handful in and of themselves. I suspect that they take after Paul." I said with a laugh and Nessie agreed.

"I miss them all." Ness said with a sigh.

We had decided it was safer for Nessie not to be around the wolves anymore, at least while she was still pregnant, because we don't know how the baby will come out and we really don't need anymore babies in La Push because they feel threatened subconsciously.

"I know you do." I said, kissing her again. Carlie giggled from my lap and I pulled away from Nessie to plant repetitive kisses on my daughter's face. She continued to giggle uncontrollably and I grinned.

"Jake." Nessie said later that night after we'd put EJ and Carlie to bed and we were laying in our oversized bed.

"What is it, Ness?" I asked, turning to face her and placing my hand on her pregnant stomach instinctively. She laid her hand on top of mine over her belly.

"What do you want? A boy or a girl?" She asked hesitantly.

Did she honestly think I'd be mad at her if I didn't get the gender I wanted? "Ness, I already have a gorgeous daughter and an adventurous little boy. Whatever we have after that is just going to add to that." I said honestly.

We had already decided that since we promised Rosalie we'd name the next kid after her that if it was a boy he'd be Rosalind Emper (after Rose, Emmett, and Jasper) or Jazzlyn Rose (after Rosalie and Jasper) if she's a girl.

"I…I think it's a girl." Nessie admitted and I felt the baby kick underneath my hand. "I can hear her thoughts Jake. She's special like me and daddy because she replies to my thoughts in my head."

"Another girl." I said with a smile on my face. "You're too good to me Ness."


	8. Devastated

Chapter Eight

Nessie's POV

"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, startling EJ who was sitting next to me. Jacob was putting Carlie to sleep upstairs for her afternoon nap, but I knew he heard me.

He was down the stairs in two seconds. He rushed to my side and smiled worriedly at me. "What's wrong, sweetie?" He asked even though we both know it was time.

"My water just broke." I admitted and his eyes widened. I was technically only eight months along still and an early birth might affect the baby's health.

"Ew. Gross, Mama, did you just urinate?" EJ asked and Jake couldn't help but laugh even though we were both tense.

"Sort of." Jake admitted, eying our 'three' year old son with amused eyes. "Can you do me a huge favor? I need you to get the house phone and call Grandpa. Can you do that?"

EJ nodded, rolling his eyes to me when Jake turned his back, and got up to go fetch the cordless phone. "What am I supposed to say?" I heard his young voice ask from the kitchen.

"Tell them that your new baby sister is coming." Jake said just as I let out a piercing scream. Never in my life have I felt so much pain before. This little baby made EJ and Carlie's birth seem like a piece of cake.

Carlisle and the rest of the family arrived within minutes and never have I been so happy to see my mother. "Mommy." I whimpered and Bella was at my side instantly.

"Shhh. Its going to be okay, baby." She said reassuringly as she tried to wipe away the fat tears that were rolling down my cheeks. "You'll be fine and so will your little girl."

"Promise?" I asked frantically. Another wave of pain erupted across my body and I tried to roll and get in a better position but Jake stopped me.

"You'll hurt the baby." He said gently. Jacob moved me forward on the couch and when he set me back, he was sitting behind me as a sort of cushion. It was less straining on my back, though it was a little embarrassing that he could probably feel the liquid from when my water broke earlier.

Jake started muttering sweet nothings like he did with my last labor and I half smiled. Bella was still holding my hand and I loved the cool temperature of her skin.

When another spasm of pain shot through me and I began screaming bloody murder, Alice and Rose kindly took EJ upstairs to both check on Carlie and to keep EJ away from having to see me like this.

"Uncle Jasper." I begged and smiled when I felt him send me a wave of calmness. I needed that. "Thanks."

"I'm just glad you are half vampire or I wouldn't be able to handle all the blood." Jasper admitted and I frowned. Was I bleeding?

"She doesn't feel that." Edward commented quietly to Carlisle and the two men exchanged a glance.

"Nessie, I want you to give it a good push, okay?" Carlisle said as if he were talking to a small child. I was eight, thank you.

I nodded even though I felt faint. When my grandpa gave me the signal, I squeezed as hard as I could. I laid back against Jake's chest, panting for breath, and looked over the sheet at the two stunned faces of my doctors.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked when Carlisle didn't hand the baby over to Esme for cleaning. He began growling. "If you don't tell me what's wrong right now, I'll rip you two to pieces!" He threatened and for a moment I was terrified for my relatives.

"The baby isn't ready to come out." Edward admitted. "When Nessie started pushing, the baby's thoughts went haywire. She seems to be scared."

Bella chuckled. "Who wouldn't be afraid to enter the big scary world when they've been living comfortably in their own little home for months?"

"Ness, baby, maybe you could try talking to her." Jacob suggested. "She seems to like your voice."

I nodded, not fully sure that this was going to work, but silently begging it too since the pain had started to come back and I could barely keep my head up anymore.

"Rosie, baby, I need you to come out here with Mommy." I said in a cuing voice. "I want to see your pretty little face." I said with a tiny laugh, reminding myself of Wizard of Oz.

_I'm scared, Mama. _I heard a frightened voice say in my head. She must have been projecting into my head like I did with my power.

_There's nothing to be scared of baby. Daddy, EJ, and Carlie want to meet you real badly. _I thought back to her, too tired to use my voice.

_I'm sorry this is going to hurt. _The little voice thought to me before I felt an excruciating pain in the lower part of my body.

"She's coming out!" Carlisle exclaimed, preparing his arms to catch Jazz.

"Look Car, she's literally pushing herself out." Edward muttered lowly. He turned to me and spoke louder. "Nessie, push right now!"

I did as he told me to and had to bite Jake's shoulder to keep from screaming again. The strange thing was, his blood gave me the little bit of energy that I still needed to finish pushing.

Carlisle pulled the baby towards me and Jake so her umbilical cord could get cut. Edward handed Jake scissors and he cut the cord quickly and Carlisle handed my little girl to Esme.

"Bella, love, go hunt." Edward said and she blinked. I don't know who was more confused, her or me.

"Nessie is faint and needs some blood in her system before she takes another sip of Jacob." Edward explained and I would have blushed but I had no energy.

"I'll go." Emmett volunteered and was out the door before anyone could protest.

By the time he came back, with a pitcher of deer's blood, the baby had been wrapped up in a tiny blanket and I was holding her.

"Emmett, come meet your grand-niece Jazzlyn Rose Cullen-Black." I said quietly, hoping not to wake her up since she just fell asleep. Apparently this had been just as exhausting on her as it was on me.

Rosie had pale russet skin that seemed to be sparkling in the light that was reflecting from the door that Emmett left open. It was less intense then me and EJ's shimmering and no where near normal vampire sparkling.

She had straight brown hair that reminded me of Bella's and the same brown eyes that me, Carlie, and Bella all had. I guess it really was a female Swan trait.

"She smells funny." Emmett said, never the one to keep any comments to himself. "What is that? Its like a dinner in the forest with a bunch of relatives."

Everyone turned to stare at him and only Edward understood what he was talking about. My father was chuckling immensely and I wondered what in the world he could possibly mean.

"He picked up Jazz's human, werewolf, and vampire scents." Edward explained with another chuckle.

I stuck my tongue out at both of them before draining the pitcher of blood. We were in for a strange ride with this one.

"There's one more thing, Renesme." Edward said, his tone dropping to a more serious one. "Jazzlyn ripped something when she was coming out."

"So?" Jake asked, getting impatient.

"I'm so sorry baby," my dad said, his eyes sympathetic, "but this means you can't ever have any more children."

And with that, my heart stopped.


	9. Christmas Card

Chapter Nine

Jake's POV

Nessie went into shock when Edward told her the news. I was too concerned about my imprint to fully comprehend the fact that we wouldn't be able to have any more children. Nessie came first.

"You didn't have to tell her right this second." I growled at my father-in-law. "She just gave birth you moron!"

"Calm down, Jake, Edward didn't know Renesme would react this way." Bella tried to calm me down but I just continued to shake.

"You need to calm down." Esme spoke quietly from the other side of the couch as she grabbed Jazz from Nessie's limp arms. "If you phase right now, you will hurt Nessie."

That thought instantly calmed me. Nessie was still laying on me, which was a little weird when she was giving birth but I don't care, and I knew it would kill her if I phased this close to her. I didn't want to risk her getting hurt like Emily was because of Sam.

"Ja-ke…" Nessie mumbled and I started rubbing her arm comfortingly.

By the time she was fully conscious, most of her family had left. Carlisle stayed to give her a check up and Edward and Bella were keeping our children busy.

I saw my two little girls stumbling around in a circle chasing each other while EJ was laughing from the floor. Carlie tagged Rosie and both girls giggled. Carlie plopped down and Rosie continued to walk in a circle around her older siblings, touching their heads lightly as she said, "duck, duck, duck…"

She looked like she was already older than both of her siblings and I gasped. Was I hallucinating? Or was my newborn daughter already three years old?

"Jazzlyn has grown." Edward confirmed, picking up the doubt in my thoughts. "She seems to be growing whenever her body tells her to. She doesn't have any control on it just like EJ and Nessie don't. I think she'll be this age for a while though."

It looked like EJ and Jazz were twins instead of Carlie and EJ.

"Ness, baby, look at me." I said as she buried her head in my chest. Carlisle had finished his evaluation and he shook his head at me when I looked at him hopefully. The no kids thing still stood apparently.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry, Jake." Nessie started apologizing and I rubbed her back soothingly.

"You did nothing wrong. Why are you apologizing?" I asked, not understanding why she wouldn't quit saying sorry.

"I-I can't have a-any more k-kids Jakey. I-I fai-failed you as an imprint." She muttered and my head snapped up. She was upset because she thought _I_ would be upset?

"Ness, listen to me." I said sternly. "You did nothing wrong. Things happen during normal births all the time. The only thing that matters to me is that you're still here and our three little babies are safe. Anything on top of that doesn't matter."

"But…" Nessie began but I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers.

"No buts." I said against her lips. "You are my life. A million kids couldn't make that change. I love you, Nessie."

"I love you too, Jake." She replied before pulling away from me. We sat up on the couch and she draped her legs over mine.

"Now where are my babies?" She asked with a smile, clearly over her panic attack.

"Your parents are playing with them like good grandparents." Carlisle explained with a smile before leaving. The family was splitting up again now that my new baby was delivered but they all promised to be back for Christmas.

I was going to miss my family, but we all knew that Jake and I needed some time alone as parents. Edward and Bella didn't get that chance and they regret it. Sure, they raised me, but I always had Jake or my aunts and uncles or my grandparents around. Jake and I wanted to do this the normal human way.

"Daddy, can you guys bring me my babies?" Nessie asked in an almost whiney voice. It was times like this that I was reminded that she was only technically eight years old.

"Sure thing, sweetie." Edward agreed and he and Bella picked up the children and set them on the couch next to us.

I pulled EJ onto my lap, Carlie in the middle, and Rosie on Ness's lap.

"Oh, hold still!" Bella exclaimed, pulling out a digital camera. We smiled and she flashed the camera a few hundred times before Edward told her to put it away. "This is Christmas card perfect!"

"Love, I think you've made them suffer enough. We need to get back to Dartmouth by morning or else we'll have to miss another class." Edward commented and Bella just rolled her eyes.

"Christmas is only a month away. I'm sure you can survive until then." I commented.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Edward commented as they placed kisses on our children's and Nessie's foreheads. Bella hugged me tightly, muttering me to take care of my family and I smiled. When did she turn into a big marshmallow?

When the two of them finally left, I turned to Nessie. Her face was tight as she stared at our children.

"What's wrong, Ness?" I asked in a panic.

"Oh, nothing. Its just…they're already growing up too fast." She admitted with a sigh. "I don't want to miss a minute."

"Don't worry, you won't." I promised.

**Okay, so this was a filler chapter but that just means that drama is coming soon. Review please if you are reading this story because it boosts my writing moods and that means more chapters quicker. Thanks :)**


	10. Flashback

Chapter Ten

Nessie's POV

"I wanna see the pack." I announced as Jake rocked Rosie back to sleep.

The little girl seemed to be the only one of our children who had a hard time sleeping through the night still. She may have been physically three years old, but she was still a newborn.

"Ness, honey, I don't think that's such a good idea right now." Jake said with hesitant eyes.

"What aren't you telling me?" I asked, nearly frantic now.

Rosie whimpered and suddenly, my eyesight blurred.

* * *

_Jake's Flashback_

_Sam was standing at the borderline, his chest bare like usual but his eyes were so different than the last time I had seen him. Instead of their usual warm brown color, they were a dull brown with huge circles around them. _

_When 'I' walked up to him, he held up a restricting hand. _

"Jake, _you aren't welcome here anymore_."_ Sam said, his Alpha tone seeping through. _

"_What?" 'I' growled as I felt 'my' body shaking in defense. "This is my home too. You can't stop me from coming here." _

"_The pack has voted, along with the council, and we've decided that it would be best for you to leave Forks." Sam said, his face staying frozen in a mask as he spoke._

"_Oh really? The council is in on this too?" 'I' asked, resentment flowing through the words. "Tell me this, Sam; why are you doing this? Why now? Have I been a bad lead__er to the pack? Most of the wolves have already moved out of La Push besides, what?, six wolves? So what does it matter?"_

_Sam growled. "They left because you and your little hybrids scared them off!" _

'_I' reacted instinctively when he said that and 'I' phased on the spot. My oversized muzzle was centimeters from Sam's eyes and 'I' pounced on him, landing on his chest in one swift motion._

_Sam phased as well, instinctively, and soon he and 'I' were tumbling in the dirt. _

Take it back. I don't ever want to hear you call my wife or my children that again, do you hear me? _'I' thought to him and he growled at the Alpha command in it._

Yes. I'm sorry that I called them that, but its making me crazy! _Sam thought, confusing 'me.' The topic change was dramatic at least._

What is? _'I' thought. 'We' were still wrestling but 'I' wasn't angry anymore so 'I' got off of him and started pacing the ground a few feet from him. He looked so broken, still laying there, that it broke 'my' heart to see him in distress. _

Having them around is stirring up Baby Mania and I don't know how much more I can take. Don't get me wrong, I love my little girls, and Sammy Jr. is the best son I could have gotten, but its taking everything out of Emily and it hurts to see my imprint upset.

I have five children, Jake, five children! That's more than I ever thought I'd have in a lifetime, let alone the span of a couple years. Emily might already be pregnant again, but I'm not sure she can survive another birth. _Sam admitted and 'I' felt defeated. Imprints come first. _

What do you want us to do? I can't take Nessie away from the people she loves, you guys are every much her family as the Cullen's are. _'I' thought. _

Aren't all the Cullen's gone? _Sam asked and when I nodded, he continued. _Go live with some of them for a while, just until this craziness settles down, and then you can come back.

You do realize that you're kicking us out of our home, right? _'I' asked with a half teasing/half you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me tone. _

Please, Jake? _Sam asked, his defeated eyes meeting 'mine.' _Most of the pack needs to stop phasing soon to match our imprints…and its hard to do while any form of vampire is still here.

I'll ask. But we won't move an inch if Nessie wants to stay, you hear that? _'I' thought and Sam nodded mutely._

I'm sorry this has been hard on you…that's the last thing we ever wanted. _'I' thought as I headed back towards our house in the woods._

_End Jake's Flashback_

* * *

Jake and I both starred at Rosie, who had a mischievous grin on her face.

"Did you do that?" I asked, looking at our little girl. "Did you send Mommy an image of Daddy's thoughts?"

Rosie simply giggled at our confusion and started clapping her hands merrily.

"What are we going to do with you?" Jake teased, avoiding my eyes as he kissed Jazz's forehead.

An hour later, when Rosie finally fell asleep, I was resting comfortably on Jake's bare chest with his arm wrapped around my waist. We had been sitting in silence for ten minutes now and my mind was racing with questions.

"Do you think she chose that memory of yours…or were you thinking about it?" I asked, half ashamed, and buried my head in his chest.

"Don't hide from me." Jake whispered and I met his eyes immediately. He was my Alpha after all. "And, yeah, I was thinking about a way to tell you what Sam asked when Rosie sent you the image. She definitely has more of you in her." Jake said, pulling me into a heart stopping kiss.

"Nuh-uh. You can't change the subject on me." I said defiantly, like the rebellious eight year old I was. "We were talking about when we're moving."

"What?" Jake asked, his face lit with confusion.

"Well, I mean, it won't be permanent, of course, but I think Sam is on to something. Since we got married and moved closer to the La Push border, more and more babies have been born there." I stated. "Maybe it would be best if we went to live somewhere else for a while."

Jake kissed my forcefully, showing me his relief over the situation, and I giggled against his lips.

"I…thought…you'd…be…mad." Jake said in between kisses.

I pulled back to look at him and wondered how I got so lucky. Here was a man who cared more about my happiness than his own.

"I'm happy as long as I'm with you." I admitted with a smile. "The rest is just whatever."

A few minutes later, after I finally convinced myself to pull away from Jake's ecstatic kisses, I asked him what I feared the most. "But won't you miss Billy and your sister? I feel selfish taking you to live near my family when I'm stealing you from yours."

"You are my priority. You and our children." My Jakey said with pride. "The rest is just whatever." He said, copying my phrase like I had done to his phrases since my birth.

"Sure, sure." I teased and he pulled me in for another long kiss.


	11. Goodbye Bonfire

Chapter Eleven

Jake's POV

We decided to move right after Christmas, that way we could spend a little more time with Billy and the pack before we headed north to Alaska. Sam agreed to let us back on La Push soil as long as we didn't bring our children. The Cullens were on babysitting duty while Ness and I attended the going away/Christmas Eve bonfire.

This upset Nessie more than she let on, but she was ecstatic that she could see the imprints. The wolf girls had always been a close bunch, despite their differences.

Seth and Amber had their one year old Harry and newborns, Miles and Mike, in a portable play pin on the sand next to them. Little Harry was the only one of the Baby Mania children that didn't look like a typical Quileute. He had red hair and green eyes like his mother who was white as snow.

As soon as Quil brought Claire who had just turned eleven by, she headed straight to the play pin. She was fascinated by the Baby Mania and had a not-so-secret crush on her imprinter.

"Ness, how do you do it?" My sister Rachel asked, glancing at my imprint with astonishment. "How can you possibly have your figure back already? I'm still fat from the twins."

As if on cue, Paul walked up to our group with their one year old sons on either hip. It was weird to see Joey and Johnny looking like normal babies when my children are so much bigger.

He wrapped his arms around my slightly pudgy sister. "Never. You could never be fat, Rach, not even if you tried."

Rachel rolled her eyes and Nessie giggled knowingly. "Wolves." They both said and I could hear other imprints nearby laugh.

Leah and Emily were sitting on lawn chairs next to us, both of them rubbing their small pregnant bellies…though Emily's wasn't as noticeable as Leah's. The cousins had gotten along much better since my wedding when Embry imprinted on Leah. That, and the fact that they were both pregnant together again, made them closer.

The two had obviously been listening to our conversation and laughed along with my family.

"If I hear Sam tell me one more time that he thinks I don't look fat, I'm going to shoot myself." Emily joked and Leah nodded.

"Embry is driving me crazy with all the 'you look so beautiful when you're pregnant' and 'your healthy glow is sexy.'" Leah said with an eye roll of her own. "Sara Sue is handful enough without her father always in the way."

"In the way?" Embry fake scoffed as he held carried his little girl in his arms. "Now I'm hurt."

Nessie looked around the fire and frowned. "Where's Sam?"

Emily laughed with a devious smile. "I put him in charge of getting the kids ready."

At that, everyone laughed. I had to admit, seeing Sam trying to wrestle the two year old triplets and one year old twins into clean outfits would be something I would pay high dollar for. Five kids and pregnant again, goodness.

"Well, here's hoping you only have one kid this time." Leah said with a laugh, nudging her cousin teasingly.

"Think of it. Three, two, one. Like a blastoff." Embry joked and Quil laughed, pulling Claire with him as they sat on the sand next to us.

Seth was in charge of keeping the bonfire going since his imprint didn't really like social gatherings and was really shy. I had only heard her talk a few times since Seth brought her home. I think the idea of us all being mythical creatures scares her more than she lets Seth know.

Suddenly, we heard a lot of crying and we turned to locate the sound. Coming up the hill, was Sam with Vanessa, Tessa, and Tia in front of him on leash things that I couldn't explain even if I tried and he had Emilia and Samuel Jr. on a double backpack carrying contraption.

The twins were the source of the crying and Emily frowned when Sam and his crew got closer.

"Sam, you know that Sammy hates that thing." Emily scolded lightly as Quil and Claire took the twins out of the carrying case and handed Sammy to Emily. The second the baby stopped fussing, so did his sister in Claire's arms.

"Emilia only cries because her brother does." Emily explained before turning to Sam again. He was unlatching the triplets from their what looked like backpack leashes. Hmm. I wonder how EJ would do in one of those. That kid was always running off to someplace or another.

"I know." Sam commented apologetically and came to kiss his wife. He leaned in and kissed her scarred face before kissing her lips. "I couldn't think of any other way to get them all here because it seemed stupid to take the car."

The Uley's lived right next to First Beach and hardly ever drove to the bonfires.

"I'm really gonna miss you, Nessie." Claire spoke up a few hours later as she was saying her goodbyes. "Promise me you'll visit?" She asked, her tiny face vulnerable with unshed tears.

"I'll come whenever you call me." Nessie vowed and hugged Claire one more time before Quil said that they really did have to leave or her mom would be upset.

The girls had always had this special bond since they were so close in technical ages and I knew that my Ness's leaving was going to cause Quil some pain as well, if for no other reason than Claire was upset about it.

"You take care of her." Nessie warned Quil even though imprinters always did. Quil just smiled and picked Claire up piggyback style.

Around three am, the rest of the wolves left. Most of the imprints had left a couple hours ago with the children so it was just me, Ness, Embry, Seth, and Sam left.

"I'm gonna miss you guys like crazy." Seth admitted, earning himself a hug from Nessie. Though I was her favorite wolf, Seth was definitely runner-up.

"Don't worry…we'll be back." I stated, Alpha authority ringing in my voice. "Just protect La Push until we return again."


	12. Christmas Morning

Chapter Twelve

Renesme's POV

"How was the bonfire last night?" Bella asked me while my aunts were handing out their gifts to everyone.

"It was really fun." I said with a sigh. "I'm really going to miss the gang."

"I know you will, sweetie. But you'll love it in Alaska. The Denali's are just the kind of people to distract you from Forks." Bella commented with enthusiasm.

I could tell that the year she spent with them since my wedding was good for her. She seemed less stressed and more bubbly. I even heard Edward admitting that she let Alice dress her while they were up there. That alone is mind-blowing.

"If you say so." I said, still in a funk. Something about the bonfire last night seemed really permanent. I didn't like that feeling.

My eyes drifted to my kids and I had to laugh. EJ and Rosie, who were both physically three years old, were unwrapping their gifts in a hurry while Carlie had to have Jake unwrap her presents for her since her one year old body didn't comprehend the fact that the wrapping paper was not in fact the present.

"Ness, you gotta see what Emmett got them." Jake said with a laugh, pulling me up off the couch next to my mother and dropping me on his lap on the floor.

"Oh, no, you didn't." I said, glaring at my favorite uncle. "Take them back this instant. I do not want my kids riding on motorcycles."

"Toy motorcycles." Emmett corrected. "Besides, they are perfectly safe."

"For you. My kids are partly human. You don't know what this could do to them if they crash." I said angrily, going into crazy parental mode.

"Chill, Ness. They're cute and harmless." Jake commented in my ear.

I glanced at the three identical, except color, mini motorbikes. EJ's was black as night with a sidecar attachment on the side while Carlie's was hot pink and Rosie's was black with pink flames across the sides.

"What's with the sidecar?" I asked skeptically.

"Oh, its for Carlie to ride in with her twin until she grows big enough to ride her own." Emmett explained. If he thought I was going for one minute let my normal daughter in that contraption, he had another thing coming.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "I told him to buy them something practical like Alice and I did, but he was set on getting them those." My aunt said with a pause. "Though, we may have gone overboard with their new wardrobes."

Now Alice rolled her eyes. "We are simply prepared for their next growth spurts."

"Sure, sure." Jake said, knowing that we wouldn't have anywhere to put our other stuff at our new house in Alaska thanks to their shopping spree.

"You haven't opened my present yet, Nessie." Jasper spoke up and I looked around for my pile of presents that I had been slowly dismantling.

"Sorry, Jazz." I apologized and Rosie looked up at me. Oops, I had forgotten that we called her Jazz sometimes too. She was named after him after all.

I opened Jasper's gift and nearly burst into tears. It was an old picture from before the Volturi 'battle' of my whole family, including Jacob. I was barely two weeks old in the picture though I looked much older. The picture was framed in a picture frame that I didn't recognize. It was older than most of my other presents and appeared to have writing on it.

'To my little sister -Jasper' it read and I gasped. This was from his human life and to his actual sister that died when he was changed.

"No…I can't accept this, Jasper. Its too much." I stuttered.

"But you are my little sister now." Jasper admitted, understanding where my mind had jumped to. "She would understand. Please, Nessie, you're insulting me."

"Are you sure?" I asked, still unsure. I knew that he didn't have many human relics from his old life and I knew that it was really special to him.

"Positive." Jasper replied.

I scanned the pile of my presents. Fancy clothes from Alice, Rosalie's favorite pair of earrings that I've been coveting since I was born, a very inappropriate pair of lingerie from Emmett, Jasper's picture, Daddy's old Volvo, comfortable outfits from Esme and Mama that made Alice yell at them for but I will appreciate forever, and an old bible from Carlisle that was so worn out that it had to be one of the oldest ones he owned…hmm, where was Jake's present?

"Babe?" I asked, distracting my Jacob from our children.

"Yeah?" He responded back.

"Where is your present for me?" I asked, trying not to sound like the eight year old I was.

"In my pocket." He said and Emmett burst out laughing which caused my husband to blush. "Not that, you sick freak." He growled at my uncle and the rest of the vampires laughed, except Edward.

Jacob pulled the small package of brightly wrapped paper out of his pocket and placed it in my hands. "I was going to wait until later, but you seem to want it now." He said with a smile. "My impatient little Loch Ness."

When I unwrapped the green paper, I gasped. It was another Quileute promise bracelet. The last one I had broke before the wedding and, at the time, I was too excited about my ring to care. But lately, whenever I'd visit Claire and see her's, I'd get jealous.

"How'd you know this is what I wanted?" I asked in shock.

"I knew that you would want to feel connected to La Push once we leave and that this can be a daily reminder of it." Jake admitted with a blush. "Plus, it seems weird to see you without it after having one your whole life. You don't have to wear it if you don't want t-"

"I want to." I said with a cheesy smile. "This means more to me than the wedding ring, because it's a symbol of your loyalty forever."

With that, he placed the homemade bracelet on my wrist and brought my face closer for a kiss.


	13. Alaskan Air

Chapter Thirteen

Jacob's POV

It has been one whole year since we moved to Alaska and I still have mixed feelings about the change. Nessie seemed to be adapting to life here and the kids are thrilled to play in snow for the first time, though the cold wind is harsh when I phase.

"Jake, can you help me in the kitchen?" Nessie called from the other room.

I headed in that direction, spotting Rosie doing her older sister's hair. It was weird to see them like this, but that was our family. The children were all growing at their own paces. Carlie was two and was the only one who actually looked her age. Her twin, EJ, grew like Nessie did and already looked six. Strangely enough, so did Rosie. She was physically five years old even though she was technically only one year old now.

"You called?" I asked, placing a kiss on my wife's neck and wrapping my arms around her waist from behind her.

"Jakey, stop it." Nessie giggled and swatted my arm lightly. "We're having company later and I really want everything to be perfect!"

"I know, I know." I said back.

Since her parents, Alice, and Jasper decided to give us our own house here, we didn't see them near as often as we did in Forks. The Denali's were over more often because they found my family fascinating (though they didn't like the smell that half of us had due to werewolf DNA.)

"What do you need me to do?" I asked, disentangling myself from my Ness and leaned against the counter where she was washing vegetables.

"Just cut these up for the salad." She instructed and I was half tempted to tell her that all of our guests were a different kind of vegetarians.

I nodded, slicing the tomatoes evenly the way that my sisters taught me. I noticed that Ness was brewing up some sort of concoction in the sink and my nose crinkled when I recognized what it was. How did she manage to get a pitcher of blood in the house without my knowledge?

"Do you think this is too much?" Ness asked half an hour later when the steaks had been taken out of the grill and she set the table.

The table was decorated with white candles and adorned with the fancy china set and wine glasses. It looked more like a fancy restaurant than our dinning room.

"It looks marvelous." I commented. "But not as good as you."

The doorbell interrupted Ness about to blush and I cursed. They were early.

Jasper drug Alice into the dinning room with wary glance, probably 'feeling' our moods. Bella and Edward were right behind them with Tanya in tow. Even though she was the only single vampire in the group, she never seemed to be upset about being the odd man out. She would just tag along with whatever anyone was doing, as long as she was included.

"Kate and Garrett are coming." Tanya apologized with a laugh. "They got…preoccupied."

I shook my head knowingly. The new couple was definitely worse than Emmett and Rosalie when it came to getting 'distracted.' You'd think after nine years that they'd slow down a little.

"Where are Carmen and Eleazar?" Ness asked, looking slightly disappointed.

"We're here, Child." Eleazar said, bringing his shy mate behind him. "And where are your wonderful children?"

"Uncle Z!" EJ yelled, tackling his favorite extended family member in a hug. He had called him 'Uncle Z' since Carlie tried to say Eleazar and only got the z part to sound eligible. Even Eleazar thought it was cute.

"Z! Z! Z!" Carlie cheered from the high chair where Nessie had set her up.

"Ah, Carlie Alison, how wonderful to see you." Eleazar said, as he spotted Rosie behind her. "Jazzlyn Rose, always a pleasure."

"Lets be seated, shall we?" Garrett suggested and we followed suit.

"This really does look great, Nessie." Edward commented. "Almost as good as one of Alice's dinner parties."

"I wouldn't go that far." Alice said with a scowl. Parties had always been her forte. "But it is a nice arranging."

Nessie smiled at her favorite aunt. "Thank you all. It was nothing."

If by 'nothing,' she meant shopping for three days for the perfect napkins, candles, table cloth, dishes, glasses, and place settings, then yeah, it was nothing.

Edward's lips twitched upwards in a smile that he tried to hide. Stupid mind reader.

"So, what is new with you?" Carmen asked politely, even though I knew she hated social gatherings of any kind.

"Oh, well Carlie said her first official sentence." Nessie said with pride. Even though Carlie seemed to be the least progressive child of ours, she seemed to be a favorite of Nessie's.

Rosie scowled. I sometimes forgot that she could read minds like her grandfather and project thoughts into someone's head like her mother does. EJ inherited Bella's mind shield so we were still just waiting for Carlie to develop a power since the other ones had.

"Of course, all of our children are brilliant, but Carlie is finally taking the baby steps that the others took years ago." I said, trying to appease Jazz. She smiled a little bit and continued to pick at her salad.

"Well, what was her first sentence?" Bella asked like a proud parent instead of a grandmother. I swear, the girl was more of a teenager than we were and considering Nessie was technically nine, that's saying something.

"'Mama, I'm hungry for some apple juice.'" Nessie quoted and the vampires at the table laughed.

"Apple juice?" Tanya said with a laugh. "I remember my human days, I always craved apples. Guess we're a lot alike after all."

"Do you think she will phase at all?" Eleazar asked, since he was the one to recognize the kids' gifts, he was sort of curious about their futures since they were born with them. "I do not smell any vampire on her, though the others clearly have it in their blood."

I laughed. "Well, with their growth spurts, its hard to deny their vampire DNA."

Even though we had this conversation with Eleazar every time he visited, none of us minded. He was just a curious old man with no children of his own so he found ours the apples of his eyes.

"Carlie definitely smells like a wolf," Alice said with a glance towards me, "no offense, of course. Its just, there's no denying it."

"The smell is much lesser in the other children." Carmen agreed, speaking up for the first time in a while. She usually avoided our conversations about things other than chit-chat.

"You mean, other child." Nessie corrected automatically. "EJ is like me; half vampire, half human."

Carmen shook her head. "He has a slight scent in his blood that is different from yours. Not even a whole percent of werewolf blood in him, but enough to upset me." She turned to the others. "Excuse me, the scent from them all is messing with my brain."

When she was halfway to the front door, Eleazar stood up from his chair as well. "I beg your forgiveness, but my wife seems to want to retire."

The two of them left and it was amazing how quickly Kate and Garrett filled their seats. Vampire speed was freaky when you weren't expecting it.

"So? What'd we miss?" Kate said, slouching in her seat and laying her arm halfway over the back of her seat. I could tell that she had been watching too much television from the way she was acting, but no one paid her any mind so I decided not to mention it either.

And so began another long night with the Alaskan vampires.


	14. Birthdays Are a Blast

Chapter Fourteen

Nessie's POV

Today was the twins' third official birthday and I was happy to see _my _whole family at the gathering. Billy, Charlie, and Sue flew up via Cullen money to see the special occasion. Even Nauhel and Hulien joined us at our little festive gathering in Denali, Alaska.

The only ones not present that I wished so dearly for, were some of the wolves and imprints. I knew that it upset my Jacob, but he didn't argue about it when I was mailing them invitations that I knew they'd never even open. I was extremely sad to find out that Claire, now thirteen, was still not allowed to come for a visit even though she was too young for Baby Mania to kick in with Quil yet.

But, despite all that, we had been settled in Alaska for two years now and I loved it here. Even though it was too cold for my taste and I missed the rain of Forks, I must say that it is sort of homey here. Especially with my parents so nearby.

We had the children sitting at the head of the table, both unwrapping various gifts from their vampire relatives.

"Oh, that will look lovely on you, Carlie." Alice cooed to my physically and technically three year old daughter at the same time that Charlie handed EJ, who looked nine, a shotgun.

"Dad, you can't give that to him!" Bella scolded, grabbing the toy out of her grandson's hands and thrusting it into Grandpa Charlie's arms. "He's just a child!"

"'Need to know,' remember? And what I know is that this boy looks old enough to hunt, so I'm gonna teach him how to hunt." Charlie grumbled and I had to restrain my laugh. If only he knew that EJ already knew how to hunt…just without the gun and not for sport.

Billy shook his head, eyeing Jacob who was trying to ease the gun out of Charlie's hands and back into the box. This was an argument that the Chief of Police in Forks was determined to win.

"Mama," Rosie said, her nine year old face blushing deep crimson with embarrassment.

"What is it, sweetie?" I asked, trying to understand what was going through that advanced mind of hers. With her mind reading and projecting, she was far more advanced than even I was as a child. And her age was another thing completely.

Though she was only two, she was surely going to look older than her brother soon if her aging kept up like this; one year younger and already looked the same age as her half vampire brother.

"I was just wondering about why I'm not getting any gifts." Rosie stated and I frowned, knowing she already knew the answer from my mind before I said it. She continued. "And I know that its not my birthday, it's the twins, but I want a pretty dress like Carlie got."

Alice beamed, catching me off guard. "I knew you would say that!…well, I didn't actually _know _it, but I assumed you would…" Alice trailed off with a gleam in her eye. "But, a good shopper always thinks ahead, right?"

She pulled out an exact replica of Carlie's small pink dress but in a warm green shade instead and Rosie's eyes lit up. "Is that for me?" She asked, bouncing with excitement.

Even though Rosie wasn't a girly girl like Alice and Rosalie, she was still more adamant about shopping and new clothes than my mother and me ever were. I'm sure Carlie will feel the same way when she gets old enough to make her own decisions, but for now, we only had one excited shopper in the house.

"Of course it is, Jazzlyn." Alice beamed again at Rosie's excitement. "Anything for my little great niece."

Attention turned back to Charlie, Bella, and Jacob who were still arguing about the gun. Well, more like Bella and Charlie were arguing and my husband was standing in the middle trying to be peacekeeper. They were slowly getting louder and Carlie started crying at the noise.

"Shh, baby, its okay." Rosalie murmured, getting to my daughter and picking her up before I even had the chance to respond. She started humming a lullaby that I had been rock to sleep to as a child myself, and I smiled at the memory.

Aunt Rose only ever wanted me to be happy, and I could see she felt the same way about my children. She would have made a great mother if she hadn't been changed all those years ago, but I knew she rarely regretted it.

Even so, it was strange that the child she bonded with the most, though, was Carlie. She smelled of werewolf (though I found the scent comforting) and that usually bothered Rosalie, but I guess she put her love of the child over her prejudices.

"I think we should let Jacob and Renesme decide if they want a gun in the house or not." Edward advised lightly, drawing Charlie and Bella's argument to a close. "Let us get back to the presents before young Carlie is asleep and misses her birthday party."

"It seems a little late for that." Esme chuckled, eyeing the sleeping toddler in Rosalie's cold arms.

The evening continued anyway (Rosie stepped in to open all of her sister's gifts so my aunts could get an honest reaction from a little girl) and by the end of the night, the twins had more toys, clothes, and 'hunting' supplies to count.

One thought remained in my mind as I escorted each guest out of the house at bedtime: _How were we ever going to stay in this house if it kept getting smaller with each birthday?_

* * *

**AN: By the way, I will add the children's POV's into this story like I did with The Blacks Are Back as soon as I think they are old enough. Hence why you won't be seeing one from Carlie anytime soon. **


	15. Unexpected Visitors

Chapter Fifteen

Jazzlyn Rose's POV

I woke up early, awaiting my usual "good morning"s but was greeted by no one's comforting voice. I frowned, and made my way downstairs to find out where my family was. I spotted EJ sitting in the corner, alone, his thoughts zoned in on a human scent that I didn't recognize. Two human scents actually.

I followed the scent with my own nose but could only smell traces of the sickly sweet juice in the air. Hmm, must have been a while ago.

I finally caught up with the scent in the living room and gasped when I caught sight of who the scent belonged to.

A woman that reminded me of Daddy, who looked pregnant-er than a house, was sitting on the couch with her arm wrapped around a boy about sixteen.

Daddy was on her other side, letting her cry into his t-shirt like he had let Mama do so many times that it almost seemed like that was her spot.

The boy looked nothing like her; she looked delicate, with her russet skin and long black hair, whereas he looked like the picture of teenage rebellion-short black hair hanging over his eyes and a piercing in his ear.

I was instantly drawn to him and moved to join them in the living room, but Mama stopped me before I could take the first step.

"Rosie, stay out of here." Mama commanded. "This is family business."

I let out a growl and all four of their heads snapped up to see where the sound had come from. "Am I no longer part of this family?" I argued, my eyes locked on the boy's, though no one paid that any attention.

"Rose, you know that's not what I meant…this is your father's sister Rebecca and her, um, son, Jesse."

I frowned. As far as I knew, Aunt Rebecca didn't have any children with her husband Jaro, and the fact that she just showed up unannounced, pregnant, and with a teenager, had to say something.

What are you not telling me? I thought to my parents, glaring at the woman who was supposedly my aunt.

"Rosie, you wouldn't understand. Its grownup talk." Daddy said sternly. "Now go play with your brother or check on Carlie."

"Fine." I grumbled, even though I had no intention of doing anything other than standing outside the living room door and eavesdropping on their conversation.

When they thought I wasn't listening, they continued trying to persuade Rebecca to talk, but she continued to blubber into the cloth of Daddy's shirt.

"Jaro, the man who my mother claims is my father, died in a car crash a week ago. Becca spent all of her lifesavings, and most of mine, to buy us the plane ticket out here to tell you guys." A male voice explained monotoney.

"So you are not Rebecca's son?" Daddy asked, half relieved.

"No. Nor do I think that Jaro conceived me all those years ago." Jesse stated. "Mom was kind of an 'entrepreneur', and the fact that she told me I'm his kid doesn't mean anything to me."

"Where is your actual mother now?" Mama asked, sending another spasm of sobs to erupt from Aunt Rebecca.

"She was in the car with Jaro when the semi hit it. From what I hear, clothing is an option when it comes to Jaro." Jesse stated and Daddy growled.

"If he was with your mother a week ago, what makes you think you aren't his?" Mama asked, trying not to sound disgusted with what Jaro did but failing miserably.

"Hey, I didn't say the man couldn't be a repeat customer. I'm just saying that I don't think he's my dad." Jesse said defensively.

A quiet voice interrupted whatever Daddy was about to say. "Twelve years I was married to that man and what does his Will read? 'Stuff goes to Cousin Jim to sell on E-bay. Wife can keep the ring.' Honestly? And then this kid shows up at my doorstep, claiming to be thirteen, and the son of the crash victims." More crying. "I didn't know where to go Jakey. Dad and Rachel would never understand this…you can't tell them."

"But what about your baby?" Mama asked as Daddy asked, "Are you really only thirteen?"

"What's it to you?" Jesse scoffed. "Gonna call me a liar like she did?"

"No. I think I know why you are as big as you are." Daddy stated, and before I had time to react, the two men were walking through the living room door that I was leaning against, and walked to the front door.

"Don't think I won't punish you for eavesdropping, young lady." Daddy called over his shoulder and I rolled my eyes; like I cared.

I took that opportunity to slip into the living room and resume Daddy's spot on the couch.

"I'm sorry about your husband." I said sincerely. I had never lost a family member, nor would I ever, so I didn't have much to go on, but I knew that loosing someone you loved had to be hard.

"Well, you're a cute little thing aren't you?" Aunt Rebecca asked, trying to distract herself. "How old are you? Eight, Nine?"

I nodded, not sure yet if Mama would be mad if I told her I was actually two.

"You've been married to my brother for three years now? I've seen your two nine year olds." Rebecca stated. "Children from a previous marriage? They are just as beautiful as you, you know."

Mama looked torn. On the one hand, she couldn't tell our secret to mere humans, yet on the other hand…nope, that was all that mattered in this house. Lies were just lies, after all. The Cullens had been doing it for a hundred years, what difference did it make if the Cullen-Blacks did too?

Mama just nodded as well. "You should meet our three year old daughter Carlie Alison, she looks like the spitting image of Jake. Dimples and everything."

The two continued talking before Jesse burst in the room with Daddy following behind him.

"Jaro was Quileute?" Jacob demanded and Rebecca gasped.

"How did you find out?" His sister demanded back just as angrily. "I convinced everyone that he was some random Samoan that swept me off my feet right out of high school. No one ever met him, or knew who Jaro was, so it wasn't hard to lie."

"He was twenty years older than you!" Daddy growled. "And his name wasn't Jaro, was it, Becca? You knew who he was, and you didn't bother telling any of us?"

"I didn't see the difference in our ages. He promised to take me to Hawaii so I marred him; anything to get out of that stupid town full of mythical legends and crazy old men." Rebecca's voice hardened as Daddy continued to stare at her angrily.

"Mom was miserable there too, that's why she killed herself, Jake. You weren't old enough to understand what had happened, so Billy lied. You were just a little kid…" Aunt Becca said, then clamped her hand over her mouth. "Jakey, I didn't mean it. I was just…just saying things." She tried to lie, but I could see the honesty in her thoughts before she tried to take it back.

A tear slipped down Daddy's cheek but he didn't bother to wipe it away. "Nessie is from around La Push, she'll understand who you're talking about when you tell her who Jaro really was." Jacob growled, eyeing Mama with a less intense expression. "Go on, tell her."

"Joshua Uley…" Aunt Rebecca whispered and watched as Mama's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Where had I heard that name before…omg, that was Sam's dad's name; the man who had walked out on Sam and his mother when he was just a kid. Maybe he was even Jared's unknown father too. That meant that Jesse was their half brother.

Another thing stuck in my mind: Daddy must have phased in order to know all of this so that meant Jesse just started phasing…and was staring at me intently with knowing eyes.

* * *

**Ooh, drama! :) **


	16. The Importance of a Name

Chapter Sixteen

Edward Jacob's POV

I didn't like the way Cousin (if you could call him that) Jesse stared at Rosie, like she was a prize or something. She was two years old for crying out loud! We might technically be the same age physically, but I was still her older brother; even if she did have a more advanced mind than I did.

I may only be three and have a fourteen year old mindset, but I sure know what's considered creepy, and Jesse definitely fell into that category.

Rosie caught me glaring at Jesse and frowned at me. She was smitten with him due to the imprinting, but I knew that she wouldn't like that lowlife if it weren't for that stupid mythical bond. What made me even angrier was the fact that Mother and Father were okay with this!

Sure sure, they had their cute fairytale love and ended up happy, but I just didn't see why they thought it was alright for their innocent little girl to have lusty feelings when she was physically nine!

But I kept these thoughts to myself and Rosie (who heard them whether I wanted her to or not). Mother and Father didn't seem to have a problem with it, so they were clearly going to be no help in Operation Break Apart Jazzlyn and Jesse.

If Aunt Rebecca didn't smell so appetizing, I wouldn't even bother trying to get to know our visiting relatives. She was sweeter than our other human relatives, Billy, Charlie, Sue…but it was probably only because of the hormones produced with her pregnancy.

"EJ, why don't you go hunt with your mother?" Father asked with a sigh directed at Aunt Becca. She was still not used to being around a bunch of mythical creatures and the less she saw of us, the lower her stress level stayed.

Carlisle had come by yesterday when he heard about our guests and did a DNA test on Jesse and a sonogram for Becca. The results for the first one were still pending, but the sonogram was clear as day. Another little girl would be born in a few days, adding to the insane number of girls in this house, and there was no changing it.

_"Have you thought of any names yet?" Carlisle had asked, curious man as always._

_"Charlotte because it means 'free' and that's exactly what I am now." Rebecca had replied bitterly. I didn't tell the others, but whenever she said it, it reminded me of Charlie because that is a nickname for Charlotte._

"What has you troubled?" Mother asked as we finished our deer and were headed home.

"Nothing, I just don't think that Aunt Becca likes her baby." I stated.

Call me a weirdo all you want, but I take pleasure in watching people all day long. (not like that you sickos!) I love learning peoples habits and normal daily activities so I can find out more about their character. I think it's a skill that will come in handy if and when we get enrolled in school with humans.

"Why do you say that?" Mother asked, doubtful. She always saw the good in people because she had never been around anyone to tell her otherwise.

I, on the other hand, thought about the 'what ifs' and the 'why are they like that's' twenty-four/seven, so I knew that not everyone had good motives. Plus, the neighbors were a hoot to spy on and they had _nothing_ but bad intentions for each other. (I just hope all humans aren't like that, though, because if they are then this is a sad, sad world.)

"She looks disgusted whenever anyone mentions Baby No-name." I stated offhandedly.

Mother rolled her eyes. "You know that Becca has already decided to name her Charlotte. Why do you insist that she hasn't?"

"I just don't the name will suit the baby is all." I said with a lie. I didn't want her to know that I had been coming up with my own names for the baby. Charlotte didn't seem right and you only get to name your kid once, might as well make it count for something.

I also didn't tell her that I had been doing research on baby names since Becca arrived. I had it narrowed down to a few names that I thought would suit the baby that was going to be raised by a single mother and whose father was a cheating bad word.

She needed a name that would remind her that she was loved and deserved happiness even if her family forgot.

My own name means "Wealthy Guardian" "Supplanter" so I know that a name needed to have a good meaning or else it was useless to them. I wished I had been named something with more of a meaning, to be quite honest. Maybe one day I'll change it.

"Well its not really your decision, EJ." Mother said with a sad smile. She knew there was something I wasn't telling her, but she let the moment slip away and before I knew it, we were back at the house.

I ran straight to my room and locked the door. When I thought that I was safe, I pulled out the baby name book again and flipped to the names I had marked already.

I was thinking of a way to casually bring it up with the others, when there was a cough behind me. I had been too distracted by my studying to notice that Aunt Becca was in the room and probably had been for a while.

"Oh, um, I'm, uh, sorry." I apologized, slamming the book shut quickly so she wouldn't see what I was doing. That just seemed to make her curious-er. She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to the side in a way that I had seen Father do a thousand times.

"Whatcha got there, kid?" She asked and leant over so she could get a better look at the title. "Baby name book?" She asked in disbelief. "Now why on earth would a kid your age want with a baby name book?"

"I, uh…" I stuttered, scratching behind my ear nervously. "I was thinking of a better name for the baby." I admitted honestly.

"Charlotte's no good then?" She asked bemused.

"Its not that…its just, a name has to mean something special and if you just name your kid what you are going through, well, then its not really her name is it? Its yours." I stated, growing confidence as I talked.

"You are quite a smart boy, aren't you?" Aunt Becca said, more as a statement than a question.

She paused, glancing at me with those familiar brown eyes, and I wondered what was going through her head. "Do you think I'll be a good mother?" She asked at long last.

I was taken aback. That was not what I expected her to say. I nodded. "There isn't a better person suited to be a mother to this little girl." I said and remembered her situation so I added, "Or to take care of Jesse. He really is a 'gift' to your new family even if you don't realize it yet."

Even though I didn't like Jesse personally, I knew that Aunt Rebecca would be great with helping raise the confused werewolf.

"You really take this name thing seriously, don't you?" Becca asked with a serious expression.

I nodded. "It means everything to me." I stated.

"Then show me that name book again." Aunt Becca said with a smile. "It seems like 'Charlotte' just won't do."

* * *

**AN: Okay, here are the names in the running for Rebecca's daughter:**

**Belinda _"Very beautiful."_**

**Lilly _"Symbol of innocence; purity and beauty."_**

**Amanda_ "Worthy of being loved."_**

**Felicity _"Happy."_**

**Let me know if one sticks out :)**


	17. Together in the Gutter

Chapter Seventeen

Jazzlyn Rose's POV

It was times like this that I wished I were older.

I stared at Jesse from the corner of my eye and breathed in his beautiful scent. He was the picture of perfection; black Quileute hair that swept in front of his eyes, piercing brown eyes that can see into my soul, and, of course, that sexy ear piercing. God, was that man beautiful.

Only EJ knew that Jesse had imprinted on me, and that was only because I accidentally projected the news to him on the night of Jesse and Aunt Rebecca's arrival.

EJ was furious to say the least. After that, he avoided our guests and rarely spoke his opinion to anyone other than myself, and that was only because he hadn't even begun to master his shield like Mama had. Frankly, I was getting tired of his whining about my imprinted status. So what if he didn't like Jesse? He was my future the way Daddy was Mama's. Why couldn't EJ see that?

He did seem to bond with Aunt Becca one night after hunting, though, and was relived when she decided to consider something else for her baby's name. I still didn't see what was wrong with the name Charlotte, but if this weird fascination got EJ off my case, then I don't care what they name my little niece.

It had been two seconds and I was already thinking of Jesse again. I took a quick peek at him again and he smirked. He had caught me staring again. Oops.

"See something you like?" He teased, his sixteen year old mind and body were nothing like the thirteen year old he should be. Then again, my mind was right next to his in the gutter so I can't really complain about age.

"Maybe." I teased back, giving him a wink. It felt weird to suddenly feel this strange emotion towards Jesse, well actually about _anyone, _since I was still technically two, physically nine, and mentally sixteen. My premature hormones were going crazy just being in the same room with him.

I began to wonder if Mama ever felt this way about Daddy when she was still growing. I mean, she was his imprint like I was Jesse's. There had to have always been an attraction to Daddy, right? It was healthy to have a crush, right? Not like I would ever do anything about it…yet.

"Want a better look?" Jesse teased, pretending to start taking off his shirt.

"If you know what's good for you, you'd better not think those things around my grandfather." I said, my cheeks bright red in a blush. "I'm still too young, remember?"

Of course he remembered. In the last four days that they had been staying here, waiting for the baby to be born, I had told him everything about my family, my life, and the future that I knew we would have. Patience didn't seem to be something that he had a lot of; though, a short memory he seemed to have.

There were no secrets between us, not even my gifts or his anger at his family situation. I just wish we were older already…or at least physically.

I had it in my mind that I would go after my imprinter the second I was physically grown. That's what Mama did, and that seemed like the only reasonable thing to do…besides, I didn't want my first kiss to be when I was 'nine' and couldn't enjoy it.

"No promises." Jesse teased yet again. It seemed like teasing was the only thing we did, not that my family would allow it if they knew what was really going on between us.

Mama, Daddy, and Carlisle thought that we were merely bonding as 'cousins' (though, honestly, we had no biological relation since Joshua Uley was no connection to me and Aunt Becca was no relation to him).

The rest of the family either were keeping their distance from the house due to the sweet smell of Aunt Becca's blood, or as to not intimidate her with even more vampires around. So that meant EJ was the only one who knew the truth.

EJ wouldn't dare tell them our secret though, for he thought that they already knew. That was the problem with Jesse; he assumed too much. He was still naïve about everything that truly mattered and too smart for the things that didn't count. I wasn't going to correct him though.

"So, have you looked through the name list lately?" I asked, trying to casually drift back to the conversation that we had started before he caught me staring.

"Eh, not since Charlotte was kicked off it. What's the verdict?" Jesse said, trying to sound as involved in this conversation as the one where we were flirting. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him as he spoke, marveling in the way his Adam's apple bobbed when he spoke.

_Don't look at him like that. _I heard EJ think, and scowled when I saw him in the kitchen behind us. _He's such a pervert. _

_You take that back this instant Jacob Edward! _I sent back, smiling in satisfaction when my loud thoughts bombarded his mind. Serves him right.

_Its true. The way he looks at you is sick. You are too young for any of this. _EJ thought back seriously.

_You aren't my father! Besides, its not like its really his fault. I'm _his _imprint, remember? _I _like the way he stares and banters._ I _want this playful teasing. _I stated honestly.

Though I wasn't sure why I did (blame it on the teenage hormones), I wanted Jesse to treat me like I was as old as him. I _wanted _to be able to do this in the future, but seriously instead of playfully. Truth be told, I was growing up whether anyone liked it or not.

_Then you're just as sick as he is!_ EJ replied quieter, though still angry.

_Please, just drop it? I don't want to think about this anymore. _I thought, half ashamed.

"So? What is the verdict on my half sister's name, Oh Name Spirit?" Jesse asked EJ since I didn't seem to be responsive. The nickname was sarcastic due to the way that my brother treated this whole naming business.

"Becca likes either Amanda, which means 'worthy of being loved,' or Belinda, which means 'very beautiful.'" EJ admitted. Even though he hated Jesse, (and was pretty much treating me like the plague too) he couldn't resist the urge to inform him of the latest developments.

"Aw, I was really starting to like the name Lilly." I said sarcastically. It seemed Jesse's mood was contagious.

"Carlisle!" Aunt Rebecca yelled from the living room even though half the vampire/werewolf population probably heard her.

"What is it, sweetie?" My doctor great-grandfather asked as he entered the house swiftly and was in the living room in mere seconds.

"I think my water just broke…" Becca admitted and everything got more hectic after that**.**

* * *

**AN: Okay, down to the final two. Amanda "Mandi" or Belinda? **


	18. Amanda Black

Chapter Eighteen

Edward Jacob's POV

Amanda Black was born three days ago and life has been hectic since. Aunt Becca decided on the name at the last minute, right after she passed the after birth and I thought it was a suiting fit for such a pretty little girl. She decided not to give the baby Joshua's last name since she herself was going to change it back to her maiden name soon.

Amanda was the perfect name for her but for some reason everyone started calling her Mandi. I guess it's a Cullen-Black tradition to give nicknames to everyone as a baby. Mother was "Nessie," Jazzlyn was "Rosie," and I'm "EJ." Carlie was the only one of us that didn't get a nickname, but that's probably because her name is already short enough.

I refuse to call her Mandi though. After all the time I put into finding the perfect name, there's no way that I would fall for her nickname.

"Are you all packed, Aunt Becca?" I asked as she paced the floor. Amanda was crying in her arms, but the new mother was doing everything she could to calm her.

"Just about." Rebecca replied. "I keep trying to find all the little things that I know I've forgotten to pack, but this little one wants to be held constantly." She said with a half smile.

"Do you want me to help?" I asked, more than willing to try and shush Amanda while her mother packed.

They would be leaving first thing tomorrow and I wasn't looking forward to not seeing Aunt Becca and Cousin Amanda everyday. Jesse leaving, on the other hand, wasn't that big of a disappointment. Actually, I was sort of happy that my sister's imprinter was leaving. She was much too young to feel for him like that.

"Sure, sure." Becca said, handing over the tiny infant to me. I smiled at the familiar phrase. Father said it often and Mother said it just as much.

I glanced down at the crying newborn and started humming. Her russet little hand reached up in the air and I leaned down to kiss it. Even though she didn't have much hair, I knew it would be the color of Rebecca's when it finally did decide to make an appearance.

As I continued to hum my grandmother's lullaby, Amanda closed her grey little eyes and went limp in my arms. She was fast asleep and I could smell her the blood from her tiny heartbeat slowing in her chest.

It was strange to not want to drain her blood. I know that sounds weird because I had wanted so badly to just get a taste of Becca when she was pregnant that I thought it was the baby controlling it, but now neither one appeals to me in the slightest. Grandpa Charlie on the other hand…well, I'm looking forward to his next visit to say the least.

"You are so good with her." Aunt Becca spoke up. "Its hard to believe all of this mythical nonsense when a half vampire can sooth my werewolf daughter like that."

"Oh, she's not going to phase." I said, and the look of confusion passed over her face and stayed there. "She doesn't have the same gene that Jacob, Jaro…erm, Joshua, and Jesse do." I didn't mention that Carlie and Rosie had it because Father hadn't told her about them and it wasn't really my secret to tell.

"How can you be sure?" Rebecca asked in a whisper. This was part of why she didn't want Amanda when she first got here, but only I could sense that in her unease. She knew there was something different about the men in her family, but she never had proof.

"I can smell it on someone who will phase…and she doesn't have it." I stated. "Besides, look at her eyes. Grey. From what the legends say, grey eyes are a 100% sign that someone won't phase."

"What about brown eyes? Half the Quileute tribe has brown eyes. Are you saying that they all have the potential to turn into wolves?" She paused. "That I have the potential?"

I shook my head again. "Like I said, grey is a guarantee. Brown is not."

"But Jacob phases, does that mean that Rachel and I could be holding on to the gene too?" Becca asked. This was the first conversation we had had about werewolves. I knew she had been curious, but I wasn't sure how she would take it so I never brought it up.

"You two might be carriers. Hence why Rachel got imprinted on by Paul, one of the head wolves, and you didn't. Both of their sons will eventually phase." I cleared my throat. "Meeting Joshua Uley wasn't destined, so your daughter won't possesses the same bloodline because she wasn't meant to carry on the line. Chances are, Joshua wasn't meant to have Sam, Jared, or Jesse with all those women, but its easier to pass on a misplaced gene to a son than a daughter."

Rebecca looked away when I mentioned the other children that her dead husband "Jaro" had created. She knew that she wasn't the first woman, but it was especially hard since she knew Jared was about her age when she lulled Joshua away from Sam's mother.

"The good news is, though, that I don't smell the wolf in you or your daughter." I said, trying to cheer her up.

"Yeah…I guess that's one good thing that's come of this." Becca said quietly.

A knock on the door startled us and I accidentally jostled Amanda. She started crying immediately and the person who knocked swore. Ah, Jesse.

"I was…just wondering if you were packed Becca?" He asked through the door but didn't move to open it.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he didn't like his new half sister. Some people just aren't good with kids…which is ironic since his imprint was technically two years old.

"Yeah. I'm all done." His step mom, and only living relative that knew about his existence, replied back. "Send my brother up to get my bags, will you?" She asked and I knew he was rolling his eyes on the other side of the door.

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying a few bags. Werewolf, remember?" He asked boastingly. Now that he knew what he was, he loved saying it to anyone who would listen.

Life was going to be so less annoying without him here.


	19. Surprise Call

Chapter Nineteen

Rosie's POV

Life had settled down since Aunt Becca, Jesse, and Cousin Mandi left. I missed Jesse the most, but I was getting by without my imprint. (I figured out that I imprinted on him and not the other way around…though, it actually didn't make much of a difference.)

Daddy and Mama didn't know about the bond though and for that I was grateful. Dad would flip if his adopted nephew was imprinted on by his two year old daughter.

I'm surprised EJ hasn't squealed yet, but his mind shows just the opposite. Wow. I definitely wasn't expecting that. Surely, he would have ratted me out about my semi-inappropriate feelings for Jesse.

Carlisle gave me a physical a couple days after our company left and said that I was officially nine and a half. That wasn't that big news to me since I had been slowly shying away from nine in the past few weeks. It was weird that I grew so quickly at times and then slowly at others. Unfortunately, Granddad and Carlisle predict that I'll be sixteen before I finish fully developing. Fourteen more years of this…

EJ hadn't aged since his last physical and that worried Granddad. With EJ's half vampire DNA, he should be aging slightly everyday, and that worried everyone in the family. We would have to call Nauhel soon to ask him about it. EJ was three and a half; officially at the halfway mark in his growth. Carlie, of course, was the age she was supposed to be and healthy as a horse. I envied her normalness.

"Carls, you look so cute!" Aunt Alice commented, eyeing the new dress she brought over this morning. "Just like a baby model." She cooed again.

"Alice, you have to say that." Grandma Bella said. "You're biased." She teased.

"We all are." Granddad said, wrapping his arms around his wife lovingly but Grandma Bella rolled her eyes. She had a point to prove to her sister and there was no way she was going to let it go.

"Bella, there's a call for you." Alice said, pointing at Bella's phone that hadn't started ringing yet. "Its Renee."

"Should I answer it?" Bella asked panicky. Renee was Bella's human mother that she hadn't seen since she got pregnant with my mother right after her wedding.

Alice shrugged. "I can't see it that well because of the patches in my vision, but I see Renee and she looks ecstatic about whatever you talk about."

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Bella picked up the phone and tried her best to make her voice sound less bell like and more human. It failed miserably, but I didn't have the heart to tell her that. Edward bit the inside of his cheek and I knew he had heard me. I didn't even have to check his mind to confirm; he was just easy to read.

"Hello, Renee. How are you doing?" Bella asked.

"_Good. I was coming to see you when I heard you moved to Alaska. Had to find out from Charlie, if you believe it. I actually took a trip to Forks." _Renee said into the phone. _"The place hasn't changed in thirty years, Bells. I don't know how you lived there for as long as you did."_

"You went to Forks?" Grandma asked in disbelief.

"_Of course I did. What mother wouldn't want to see her daughter's new family. Why didn't you ever tell me that you had a baby!" Renee grumbled. "Charlie said he sees his granddaughter every couple of months and I wasn't even aware that I was a grandmother?"_

"I didn't…I…" 'Help me.' Bella mouthed, knowing that everyone had heard their phone conversation.

Edward eyed Daddy and nodded. "Tell her that she can meet our daughter if she wants." He whispered to his wife.

"Well, I didn't not tell you on purpose." Bella said, growing confidence even though she didn't know what Edward was up to. "Of course I want you to meet her."

"_Good. Because I'm on my way to Denali now. Charlie gave me directions and I've only gotten lost twice so far." _She let out a carefree laugh. _"Luckily, Phil is better at asking for directions than most people or else we'd be stuck at that deli in Canada still."_

"Phil is coming too?" Bella asked, half relieved, half upset. She didn't talk about her stepfather much, but when she did, she always made sure to mention that Phil was good at keeping Renee on the ground.

"_Of course he is. But don't mention his shoulder to him…oh wait, you don't know about his sprain, do you? Well, it was the reason he had to quit the minor leagues a few years back and he's still sensitive about it." _Renee sounded like she was speeding by the sounds around her. I also picked up the sound of a human snoring.

"When do you think you'll be arriving?" Bella asked, trying to get information out of her flighty mother.

It went on like that for a while. Bella asking questions and Renee half avoiding them by saying whatever was on her mind at the time. When Grandma finally hung up, she looked worn out.

She glared at Granddad. "You had better have a good plan for this." She threatened. "There is no way that Renesme can pass for ten and a half. You know, her actual age."

"Jacob had an idea." Edward said, smiling at his wife who continued to glare at him. "Renee obviously can't meet Nessie…but she can meet Rosie."

I gasped. They wanted me to pretend to be my mom? I was only nine physically…still, it was the best under the short notice. And I did look a lot like Grandma Bella.

I inherited her long straight brown hair and warm brown eyes (though mine had a pink tint when I was thirst and her's hadn't as a human). My skin looked like my father Jacob's mixed with the vampire color though. It was a pale russet color.

"It will work." Edward said, hearing the hesitance in my thoughts. I wasn't so sure.


	20. Twenty Questions

Chapter Twenty

Rosie's POV

"Oh, Bells, you have no idea how hard this house of yours is to find!" Renee gushed as she walked into Grandma Bella and Granddad's house. "I swear, if it weren't for Phil, we'd still be in Canada." She laughed care freely, eying her daughter's 'new' appearance with a frown.

"You already mentioned that." Bella said easily, truly radiant that her mother was here. Her thoughts mirrored her actions whereas Renee's were all over the place.

:Good to see you, Mom." She spotted a short balding man behind her tall dark haired mother and added, "You too, Phil." Bella said, her hand clasped with her husband's while she tried to shake her stepfather's with her other hand. "You remember Edward right, Phil?"

"Of course." The gruff sounding man said, shaking Bella's hand before pulling it back and getting a better handle on the silver box in his hands. "You haven't changed a bit, Ed. Tell me your secret." He teased and I could hear the unease in Edward's thoughts.

"No secret; I just exercise as much as anyone and am lucky to have kept my good looks as long as I have." Granddad lied smoothly, adding a fake laugh to ease the situation. "You should see my little sister. Still a knockout, or so Jacob tells me. I don't really like to think of her that way."

"Jacob. Jacob. Now why does that name sound so familiar?" Renee muttered to herself. Suddenly, her thoughts placed my father's face to her memory to that name. "Jacob Black? Scrawny kid from the wedding that was so obviously hung up on you, Bells?" She asked.

Wow, Grandma Bella was right. Nothing got past Renee.

Bella nodded. "The one and only." She said with a laugh. "Jake and Nessie got married a while back and have a couple of kids now."

"I'm happy he's moved on. That crush on a married woman couldn't have been healthy for anyone." Renee stated. "Nessie sure is an interesting name, though. Isn't that the name of that giant water serpent in England? I can't imagine what her parents were thinking."

Edward chuckled. "It's short for Vanessa, actually. Jake just has this inability to call anyone by their actual names."

"We'll have to meet this sister of yours, Edward. Promise me that you'll have them over while Phil and I are in town." Renee practically begged. She sure was outspoken. That must have skipped the other generations below her.

"Of course." Granddad said, finally ushering the couple into the dining room where I was waiting to be unveiled. Ugh. I felt like a museum painting.

"And this, is our daughter Renesme Carlie Cullen." Edward said, trying to sound like he wasn't lying through his teeth. Since we weren't sure what Charlie did or didn't tell Renee, so we were trying to keep the story as the same as it honestly was. Hence, Edward's sister "Vanessa."

I smiled shyly at my great-grandmother and she beamed at me. "You are a pretty little thing, aren't you?" Renee said, nudging Phil to say something as well.

"Pretty name." Phil commented, not sure what to say to a complete stranger. And a kid no less. There was a reason Renee didn't have another child after Bella. Phil wasn't good with kids. From his thoughts, he hadn't even been good with kids when he was a kid himself.

"Thank you." I said, faking a blush of modesty like Edward's thoughts prompted me to.

"It's a combination of Renee and Esme. I thought of it when I was pregnant." Bella said proudly. "And Carlisle and Charlie combined for her middle name."

"That's so sweet, Bells, naming her after both sets of grandparents." Renee said, clearly honored to have made the cut for the name splicing.

Bella laughed. "As if I couldn't do all of you the honors. This is your only grandbaby. I wanted to do this right."

"Pish-posh!" Renee said. "You too are both young! Just you wait, I'll have another grandchild before you know it."

"But ten years apart?" Phil said to her quietly. "Do you really want your grandchildren to have nothing in common?"

Renee sighed. "You sure you don't want to try for a little boy?" She asked, already knowing Bella's answer.

"I have everything I could ever want, Mom. I'm happy with my family." Bella said. _That means you too, Rosie. _She thought in my direction, though she kept smiling at Renee.

"So tell me about yourself, Ren." Renee said enthusiastically.

Her thoughts were bouncing all over the place, but the main thing she kept thinking about was how I looked familiar. I had Bella's warm brown eyes and Edward's hair color, but there was something about my smile that reminded her of someone else. (She couldn't place it, but she subconsciously recognized Jacob in my features.)

"Well, I like to draw." I admitted. That much was true at least. I had always liked anything to do with art; sketching, painting, and even sculpting (though I wasn't very good at that yet).

"An artist? Well, isn't that something. I could never make stick figures look good and here I have a Picasso in the family!" Renee said with a laugh. "What else interests you?" She asked, trying to pick my brain apart before dinner.

"Running." I said plainly, watching the corner's of Edward's mouth twist upwards in a smirk. _You told me to be honest._ I thought smugly to him.

"It always feels like I can run for hours." I added, noticing Phil's interest. "The feeling of the wind in my hair and the sturdy ground beneath my feet is something that I'll never want to give up."

"Its exhilarating, isn't it?" Phil asked, finding something in common with me and holding on to it. "I once ran a marathon. I was a lot younger then, of course, but I finished in sixth."

"Wow. That's really good, Phil." I complimented. I didn't mention the fact that I could have placed first without even breaking a sweat. No need to gloat about my quarter-vampire skills. 


	21. Excitement

Chapter Twenty-One

Rosie's POV

"…and they have like the best relationship. Like one will start saying something, usually Phil, and the other one will keep the conversation going for hours." I continued to babble, excited about how much I learned about my great-grandmother and her husband in such a short time.

EJ rolled his eyes. "Isn't that how everyone is?" He asked, referring to all of our vampire coupled relatives and Mama and Daddy.

I simply stuck my tongue out at him. "Yeah, but they're human. Its strange to see two people not imprinted on or held together for literally forever and still have a strong bond." I stated.

"It is a good thing when two people find each other after searching for years like Renee did." Jacob, my wonderful father, said as he tickled Mama. "Though, I can't deny that imprinting is so much more convenient. Right, Ness?"

Mama grinned, her perfect features lighting up instantly whenever Daddy said her name, and nodded in agreement. She tried to steer the conversation back to talking about my evening with Renee, Phil, and my grandparents, but I could see she was still distracted by my father.

If I hadn't imprinted (secretly) on Jesse, I would think that it was disgusting the way they always stared at each other like that. But, since I did have my very own werewolf, I found it adorable.

Though, their dirty thoughts I could live without hearing all the time.

"So are you guys going to introduce EJ too? Or just Carlie?" I asked when they brought up the topic of visiting Renee while she was here like suggested.

"Since we're claiming that we just got married a few years ago, it would look awfully weird to already have a nine year old son." Mama said logically, though her thoughts instantly jumped to concern over how EJ would take it.

Like she predicted, EJ's thoughts turned bitter, but I could tell that he didn't really mind not going. He just wanted to be given the option like everyone else was.

"We'll have to call Carlie by her middle name, of course, as to not raise suspicion about having a combined name of Charlie and Carlisle when she's 'not' related to Charlie." Daddy spoke up as well.

Ah, the lies we weave.

Not that I minded, of course. It was for Renee's safety. If my great-grandmother knew the truth behind the myths about werewolves and vampires, she would be in danger of the Volturi and possibly the Pack's wrath. I had only been alive for two years, yet even I knew that it was for her own good that she be kept in the dark.

If only she weren't so observant.

Monitoring her thoughts was a full time job. Every little thing we did or said would lead her imagination wild. She was minutes away from asking about Bella's new golden eyes instead of the warm brown ones that she had before she got married, but luckily, Edward intercepted her and steered the conversation in a completely different direction.

Still, we both knew that it was only a matter of time before she brought up the subject again.

"I want to meet her as soon as I can, Jake." Mama said excitedly, her mind finally catching up to the idea of meeting her grandmother for the first time.

"Sure, sure." Daddy responded with a grin. "Just let me run it past Edward first and I'll set it up so we can go over tomorrow morning."

"Speaking of which…" He turned to me and I caught the drift of his thoughts.

"I know, I know. I'm supposed to be at Bella and Edward's house while Renee and Phil are here." I stated. "But they're both fully asleep from jet lag and I really had to tell you guys about them 'cause I'm so excited!"

Mama chuckled and I couldn't help but blush.

I had never shown this much interest in any of my other human relatives. Sure, I liked Grandpa Billy and Sue and Grandpa Charlie alright, and I liked Aunt Becca and her new baby Mandi just fine; but other than Jesse (who was my imprint so I was bound to like him), I wasn't really excited whenever family visited.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Rosie." Daddy said with a stern smile. "But you need to go back to your grandparents' house before your guests wake up. Wouldn't want to blow our cover, now would you?" He asked, but I simply shook my head.

"No, Daddy." I said, getting up to kiss his cheek. I turned to Mama and did the same. EJ looked at me as if to say 'don't you even think of it,' so I left after that.

Sneaking back into a mind reader's house would be hard, if I wasn't a mind reader myself.

As it was, all I had to do was clear my mind of everything and slip in the back door. Most people think that they have to recite the German alphabet or song lyrics, but in truth all you have to do is have absolutely no thoughts running through your mind.

But, maybe that's the hard part for other people. To not think of anything at all is a tricky task that I wouldn't be able to do if I didn't need to sometimes keep Edward out of my head. He was the one who actually taught me the trick; at the time, he was trying to keep what he got me for my birthday a secret.

As my head hit my pillow, I couldn't help but think of tomorrows events. With someone as observant as Renee, who knows how many secrets she'll accidentally discover.


	22. Observant

Chapter Twenty-Two

Renesme's POV

Today I was going to meet my human grandmother for the first time. Although I appreciated what Rosie told me about Grandma Renee, I wanted to find out firsthand what she was like.

"You look adorable when you do that." Jacob commented, buttoning up his white shirt as he talked. I spun around to face him, not sure what he was talking about and his grin just widened.

"Jacob William Black, you tell me what you're talking about before I lose my mind." I growled when he continued to stare at me. I bent down to strap on my heels, glaring angrily at my husband.

"Sorry," Jake said, shaking his head. "But if I tell you then you'll change and I just can't have that." He said, coming up behind me and started kissing down my neck in a way that he knew drove me crazy.

"Jake, stop it." I said, not meaning it in the slightest. I could spend forever in his arms and it would still be over too soon.

I glanced down at my outfit then, and blushed. I had accidentally put on one of Jake's oversized blue t-shirts on instead the blue designer dress I had set out for today.

I pushed my husband away from me and slipped the shirt over my head. I was reaching for my dress when Jake started whining like the little puppy he thought he was and picked the satin material up with his oversized hands, holding it captive.

"Come on, Jake. I have to get dressed so we can go see Renee and Phil." I stated, trying not to blush as he took in my underwear clad body. I still had my heels on from getting dressed ten minutes ago, but now I was actually making sure I put on the correct article of clothing.

"Fine." He grumbled, handing over the dress.

"Do I look alright?" I asked, knowing he was going to tell me I looked wonderful even if I didn't agree.

"Stunning, as ever." Jake answered. "But I must admit you looked better in my shirt." He teased.

"Yes, but I highly doubt that Edward would be alright with me coming to brunch without a proper outfit on." I rationalized. "He might be fine with us being married, but I really doubt that he wants us to flaunt how much you can't keep your hands off me in front of everyone else."

"Touché." Jake said with a bowed head, though he kept his hand on my waist.

"Come on, lets go." I said, kissing him swiftly on the lips before he could let us get carried away this morning. We actually had to focus on things other than ourselves today.

We entered our kitchen to find EJ eating a bowl of cereal (though he usually hated the stuff) and feeding his twin sister Carlie with his other hand.

"Thank you, EJ." I said, kissing the top of his head. "We really appreciate what you do around here."

I went to brew some coffee when EJ spoke up again.

"Enough to let me meet Renee?" He asked halfheartedly, knowing full well that we already agreed not to say anything about his existence because of how old he looked.

I frowned. I hated him being this upset.

_Maybe we could come up with something. _I sent to Jake as I passed him his morning coffee. _I really don't like leaving EJ out of everything, Jakey. Please? For me?_

I knew it was low to play the 'imprint' card, but I really didn't want to have one of my children suffering.

"Like what?" Jake asked, careful to keep his voice down low enough for EJ to not pick up.

_Um, he could be my son from a previous marriage, or Edward and my little brother, or…_ I sent him with my gift, trying to wrack my brain and come up with a solution.

"The first one will never work. He looks too much like me for Renee not to notice." Jake said quietly, trying not to growl at the thought of my imaginary first husband. "Same goes for the second explanation." Jake sighed. "Lets just face it. EJ looks like the perfect combination of the two of us."

"What about a weird disease?" A soft voice spoke up and I swiveled in my seat to glance at EJ suddenly. He had been listening!

"What are you talking about, son?" Jake asked, trying to shake off the conversation.

"I mean, you could just say I have a random disease that makes me grow super fast." EJ said. "I did some research last night after you guys went to bed. There's one that makes you age faster, but mostly it just makes you look like an old person and then die early…but I doubt that Renee will know that."

And that's how we managed to get my whole family at my parents' house to meet Renee and Phil.

"Oh dear, your year old son has what?" Renee asked again, for the millionth time.

"Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome or HGPS." I replied automatically, going off the information that EJ provided for us. "It is a childhood disorder caused by a point mutation in position 1824 of the LMNA gene, replacing cytosine with thymine, creating an unusable form of the protein Lamin A, one of the building blocks of the nuclear envelope."

"That sounds terrible." Renee said again, this time finally sounding like she would quit asking about it now that I recited the complicated data that I memorized earlier.

Jake just laughed. "Nah, it just means that he'll grow faster than normal kids."

"So, tell me about yourself Vanessa." Grandma Renee said, clearly done with the subject after going on about it for twenty minutes. The woman was scatterbrained, that's for sure. Momma wasn't lying about that.

"Call me Nessie." I said with a smile. "Um, there's not much to tell. I'm Edward's little sister, but we were sent to different foster families when our parents died. The Cullens adopted Edward, but I bounced around for a while until he looked me up right after his wedding to Bella." I lied, using the pre-rehearsed script as if it were my honest to goodness past.

"The moment I saw Ness, I knew it was love at first sight." Jacob said truthfully, wrapping his arms around me.

Renee laughed. "I bet you loved that didn't you, Edward." She stated knowingly. "Probably wasn't easy for you to see your little sister with your former rival." She laughed again, pointing at how comfortable Jake and I were in front of my parents. "I guess you got over that, though."

Wow, was she ever observant.

"Yeah. I'm proud to have Jacob in my sister's life." Edward said honestly. "I wouldn't have Alison and EJ if he wasn't, and I love _all _of my grandchildren." He shot a glance at Rosie so I knew that her thoughts were leading down the black path again. For someone so talented and beautiful, she had the worst self-esteem.

We talked for hours after that and I felt like I really knew my grandmother. Unfortunately, she also came to know us really well. She was already trying to plan another visit soon; with Rosie's growth rate, there's no way we could pass her off as Edward and Bella's 'nine' year old daughter any longer than just tonight.

The charade was fun while it lasted.

* * *

**AN: The disease HGPS is real, but it is nothing in the world like EJ's growth. The other facts are true about it though. **


	23. Recap

**AN: Sorry that it took me forever to get back to this story, I've been busy with another of my Nessie/Jake's kids story "Entirely Unique." You should all check that out if you like this one. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter and please review :)**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

EJ's POV

_Flashback_

_"But I don't wanna move!" Rosie complained, her usual brown eyes tinted pink from not hunting lately. Then again, my green eyes probably looked about the same. We would need to grab a deer or two before we headed on the road._

_"Renee is too clever. She will visit again soon and by the time she does, you will already be aged dramatically." Mother said, eying how sad my little sister was about this plan._

_"I don't see why we can't wait a few days." Bella piped up logically. "I mean, its not like my mom is going to come back that quickly. She and Phil just boarded the plane a few hours ago."_

_"We can't risk it, you know that, Bella." Edward said sternly. It was times like this that I was annoyed that people thought I was a lot like my grandfather. Edward shot me a look, telling me he heard me, but I didn't care._

_"I hate having to hide!" Rosie shouted, blowing full out. For being technically two, she sure was acting her age. And to think, we had thought that Carlie was going to be the only one to have a 'terrible twos' stage._

_Rosie stuck her tongue out at me and I just grinned. 'Read my mind all you want.' I teased, 'I have nothing to hide.'_

_"Guys, cut it out." Jacob said, silencing us. "This is a family decision, we're going to vote on it like usual..."_

_End Flashback_

In the end, we moved later that week. The Denali's were sad to see us go, but they knew it was only a matter of time. Alice and Jasper stayed up there, though, so they didn't completely lose us. Rose and Emmett were somewhere in

Bella and Edward didn't want to miss a second of us growing up, or at least they claimed, and so they followed us to Mobile, Alabama. It on the study that revealed that it had the most rainfall in all of the U.S. It was easier for the two of them to blend in when there were so many cloudy days.

We stayed there for a year, until Nessie grew bored. Edward and Bella moved back towards the Forks area to be near Charlie.

_We_ headed in the other direction. We didn't have to worry about being caught in the sun (or at least, not unless it was a blindingly sunny day) so we moved east where there was a chance of sun but still enough trees to phase behind for Jacob.

Carlie and my fourth birthday passed, and then our fifth, and before I knew it, I was six years old. I didn't know where my life had gone. I was a year away from being fully grown. A year away from looking as old as my parents and grandparents and the rest of our family.

Carlie is a typical little kid and the joy of the family. Six is a fun age for a princess like Carlie. _She_ doesn't have to worry about growing randomly in the middle of the night or any of the things that I stress about. I don't know how my mom did it, it is driving me crazy to never know what to expect. I wish I were lucky like my twin.

Not much has changed since I was three, though, if you can believe it; other than my rapid growth, of course. We've been living a completely boring life here in Maryland.

I guess being away from the family has been stressful, but everyone has adapted and we have company pretty much every month.

Rosie is physically still nine, having not grown since she was two technical years. This disappoints her since she imprinted on Jesse and he's fifteen for real now and looks like every other wolf. She was hoping that turning five would have been a milestone growing wise, but her fifth birthday came and went without incident.

As long as Jazz doesn't grow, Renee can keep visiting her granddaughter "Renesmee." Bella loves seeing her mother, and Nessie doesn't mind being the "sister-in-law" instead of rightful daughter. I, on the other hand, hate having to pretend that I have a disability making me grow like crazy.

Renee isn't stupid, so I think that last visit might have been her last. Humans need to stay out of the loop. The "need to know" thing was too much to risk with Renee and Phil.

Unfortunately, she's not the only one of my extended family members that I won't ever see again. But this one was all my doing...

Charlie visited us in May, and I've been on lock-down since then.

Apparently, when you try to drink your great-grandfather's blood when his back is turned, you get put on guard. Literally. Nessie and Jake take turns watching me since then.

They're worried about me attacking a neighbor (who lives twenty miles from us, by the way) or suddenly desiring to hunt one of my sisters. Neither of those has ever been an option, nor will it ever.

I was caught up in the moment and hadn't hunted in two weeks since my parents were stretching my and Rosie's human side a little. So I guess it was their fault too, a little. I just hate that they no longer trust me around humans.

I'm physically almost sixteen and suddenly I have a babysitter? It is so unfair. I wasn't really going to bite Charlie. It was just, I hadn't hunted, and he looked so good, and no one was in the room...okay, so maybe I might have actually gone through with it.

But I don't think that I really would have. Not in my mind anyways. I'm a shield, so Rosie can't hear my internal debates, but I truly wouldn't have done it. Not that I'll ever be able to live it down. I'm forever going to be marked as "dangerous" or "unstable."

If I were a girl, I wouldn't have this problem. Nessie isn't venomous and neither is Rosie, though they both have vampire venom like me.


	24. Teenage Angst

Chapter Twenty-Four

Rosie's POV

No one understood me. I know I sound like a typical teenager, but it is much, much worse than that for me. I have the mind of a teenager, the body of a nine year old, and the technical birth age of five. So yeah, I don't think even Dr. Phil could help me now. Until my body reaches the stage that my mind is, I'll be in turmoil.

What's worse, though, is my ability. I hear everyone's thoughts in my head and I have to be careful not to touch anyone or else I'll show them _my_ memories. I walk on eggshells to pretend to be normal, and what does it get me? Nothing.

I've_ always_ been the odd-girl out, though, so you would think that I'd be used to it. But, alas, I'm not. I'm a freak among freaks and that has got to be the worst feeling in the world. Nessie and Jacob rave that I'm "special" and Edward tries his hardest to keep my thoughts from veering off into my Danger Zone, but I know that they wish I had been like either of my siblings so it wouldn't be difficult to understand me.

My older brother EJ takes after mom, which sucks, because that means he's a Momma's Boy. I crave Nessie's attention, but it is hard for her to relate to me so we've never been really close. Well, it's hard for anyone to relate to me. That's the freak part again.

I can't say that she doesn't attempt to make it work, though, because she does try her hardest to include me in hunts or even our "human" activities, but it is really difficult for me to play the part. She feels bad that I'm one-of-a-kind since that was what she faced when she was growing up, but no one suspected that I wouldn't grow in the last three years, leaving my mind way too far in advance to make me anything but a moody pretend teenager.

I wish I had been like Carlie more than I want to be half-vampire like EJ and Nessie though, if I'm being completely honest, which, by now, you must realize that I am.

My older sister is Daddy's princess. Carlie is spoiled rotten by everyone and can do no harm. She's human, for now, and that makes everyone admire her even more. Literally, she stole the latest Vera Wang that Alice sent me and tore it to shreds. But did she get punished? No. Dad just chuckled and said, "She's only human." I_ hate_ that.

I _hate_ that I'm not human enough for it to be cute when I screw up. I _hate_ that I'm not wolf enough to phase for a long enough time to make Jacob and the Pack proud of me. And I _hate_ that I'm not vampire enough to hunt with EJ and Nessie and the rest of our family. Freak among freaks, and hating every minute of it.

I tried, while Bella and Edward lived with us, to read as much as possible to somehow try to get on her good side, so I would at least be someone's favorite, but she seemed too concerned with Carlie learning to read Dr. Seuss or with EJ almost drinking Grandpa Charlie's blood.

Edward is the only one who really tries to understand me, but I can't tell if it is because I'm an "intriguing specimen" like Carlisle and Uncle Z always say, or if it is because he can read my thoughts and knows how hard it is for me. Either way, I've always been able to relate to him the most even if his motives aren't quite clear as to why he always adores me.

The only one who _really_ gets me is Jesse but he's my imprint so that makes sense.

It has been three years since we first met, yet so many things have changed between us. For starters, he aged some more. He's now a typical wolf-looking nearly nineteen, whereas I still look ten years younger than him. He's stopped his playful flirting after the first time we hung out because he found out that I was keeping him a secret. He didn't make me tell, though, so I was safe for a little while longer.

That was usually what our fights were about-me not telling everyone I imprinted. In our house, that is a huge deal, like it is in any other wolves' home, but I knew that no one would understand our bond.

It's hard to get an imprint mad at you, or to be mad at an imprint, but I managed to do it all the time. There's the freak part again. I guess it is because I'm only a quarter wolf and _I_ was the one who imprinted on _him_, but somehow we didn't fall into the normal imprint status-ed roles.

Jesse and I will never have a normal relationship, and it's my fault (like it usually is). Last time he visited, he stormed out of the house and stayed wolf for a week before he returned to Aunt Becca's house. She was worried sick and, of course, everyone wanted to know what was wrong, but we had an imprint bond that kept it a secret.

At least that part we could do right.

That's what I was arguing with Nessie about right now-getting to see Jesse.

"But I haven't seen Aunt Becca in sooo long." I pleaded.

"You know that Cousin Mandi has the flu." Nessie said for the hundredth time in this conversation. "Rebecca is freaking out and doesn't want anyone near her right now. This is hard for Becca, you know that. She's been a mother for three years and doesn't have the support system like she would if she was in La Push like her sister Rachel."

"We're not in La Push." I stated. "And Jacob has a lot of a support system raising _us_. I just don't see why she can't move closer to us."

Nessie gave me a look that said 'you know why,' meaning EJ almost killing the last human relative that stayed with us for more than a day, but I ignored it.

"Come oooon, Nessie." I begged. "Let them come live with us."

"What have I told you about calling us by our first names?" Nessie asked and I glared at her. This was not how I had wanted this conversation to go.

"I don't see why I can't. When you were five, you were going to normal school and calling your parents by their first names, _Momma._" I spat the word. I knew I was acting like a brat, but it had been six months since I last saw Jesse and my nerves were fried.

Though we weren't like typical imprints, it still hurt to be separated for long periods of time. Truth is, I didn't really care about seeing Aunt Becca or Cousin Amanda, that was EJ, I just _needed_ to see Jesse again. And soon.

Nessie sighed. One of those long ones that let everyone in the house know that she was thinking something through.

"They can't come live with us, Rosie, and you know that," Nessie started and I was just waiting for the 'but.'

"But..." I smiled widely before I realized that she was staring at me so I quickly went back to my 'thinking' face. "I guess I could have Jacob take you and Carlie to go see Rebecca in Miami."

"Oooh, thank you, Momma!" I squealed.

"On one condition." Nessie added, raising a finger in the air to tell me she meant business.

"Anything." I promised, a little too soon.

"You have to stay away from Cousin Jesse." She said and my heart sank.

* * *

**AN: So I didn't realize this until I was working on them both at the same time, but I have a "Jesse" in this and "Entirely Unique." Guess I really like the name lol and didn't even know it. Review :)**


	25. Arguing

_Previously on Life As A Black:_

_ "On one condition-y__ou have to stay away from Cousin Jesse." _

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rosie's POV

"W-what?" I asked, too bewildered to say anything else. Maybe I had heard her wrong. She didn't say that I couldn't see Jesse when I visited Aunt Rebecca, no, it must have been something else.

"Frankly, he's a bad influence on you, Rosie." Nessie said and my ears started ringing. NOOOOO! She didn't mean it. She couldn't keep me from my secret imprint. I wouldn't let her.

"No he's not." I argued, feeling my body shaking with rage. I let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself enough to not phase in the house, but it was hardly doing any good. I was only lucky that I was only a quarter wolf or I would have been a wolf right now.

Rule One in our house is "never get emotional enough to phase or bite someone" (depending on your genetic make-up). Rule number two was "never argue with Momma." I just broke both in one conversation.

"See? Right there proves it." Nessie said with a frown. "You used to be so even tempered and never acted out. Now, since you've started spending more time with your cousin, you've been irritable."

"Maybe I wouldn't be 'irritable' if you would just let me see him more often." I stated honestly. "Besides, he's _not_ my cousin."

"Jazzlyn Rose Cullen-Black!" Nessie said. "You will not talk back. Your father and I have discussed this, and we think it's for the best. If you still want to go see Aunt Becca and Mandi, then that's fine, but just know that we'll call Rebecca ahead of time and make sure she knows where we stand on this."

"But...but, Momma, it's not fair!" I whined like the five year old I was.

"Life isn't fair, sweetie." Jacob said, coming in with a grin on his face. Carlie was running behind him and wrapped her arms around his legs. He kissed Nessie in greeting, then ruffled my hair. "So what's wrong with our little flower?"

He always called me that when I was being emotional, so I rolled my eyes.

"Nessie is being unreasonable." I stated matter-of-factly.

Jacob raised an eyebrow at me, then turned to Nessie for the 'real story.' Stupid imprints. He always took her side. I couldn't wait until I was out of the house and could have Jesse always take my side like Jacob and Nessie did with each other.

Thinking these thoughts made me realize that I still wasn't going to get to see Jesse for probably another six months. A whole year? I don't think I could do that and survive. But my parents obviously weren't going to listen to me in my present state so I would have to go to my room to cool off.

Unfortunately, I wasn't so good at the whole 'not making a scene' thing. All these teenage hormones trapped inside of a nine year old physically body with a technical five year old status was killing me.

"You know what, I don't even care anymore." I fumed, stomping off to my room. I let out a scream before slamming my door angrily.

What I didn't realize was that EJ had been in here going through my book collection from when Bella used to live with us. I had duplicated her own private library, but she didn't really seem to notice I was trying to idolize her in an attempt to be someone's favorite Cullen-Black.

EJ had been banished to the house for pretty much the rest of eternity for almost biting Charlie, so he had picked up on my old hobby. Only difference was, he actually liked reading pointless romance novels or graphic horror stories. He just loved getting to know his human side better.

"That was intense." EJ smirked. Only he knew that I had imprinted, and somehow, over the last three years, he had managed to keep it a secret. Gotta love your brother being a shield.

"Shut up." I muttered half-heartedly. I was tired, but mostly, I just wanted to see Jesse. All this talk about him really made me miss him.

"You know," EJ said softly, glancing at the door even though we could both hear the rest of our family in the kitchen preparing dinner and discussing what they were going to do with me, like usual.

"If you just told them about the imprint thing, I think that they'd be able to handle it." EJ said, honestly believing himself. "I mean, they had that connection their whole lives, so they should understand what you're going through."

I scoffed. "Didn't you hear her?" I asked, bewildered. "She hates Jesse. Always has. She accepted him as Becca's son for Jacob's sake, but you know that she thinks he's pure evil when it comes to me."

EJ laughed. "You don't really help with that, do ya, kid?" He teased, but I just stuck my tongue out at my 'sixteen' year old brother.

"Just wait until my next growth spurt." I challenged. "We'll see who's the 'kid' then."

"Fair enough." EJ said, laughing again. I guess I can't complain about my family too much when I have such an understanding brother like Edward Jacob.

He was always so quite around our human family because it was hard for him to resist the smell of blood, he was nervous around our extended vampire family because he thought he couldn't measure up, and he was angry at the wolves for not having gotten that gene.

So, in a way, I was the only one he could talk to. That made me feel special, but he still bonded with Nessie more than I would ever so I guess I'd always be just a little bit jealous of him. Sibling rivalry and all that jazz, after all.

"Help me convince them to let me see Jesse." I finally asked at long last.

I knew he would hate to help me (only because it meant that I would hang out with Jesse whom he despised), but he would do it because he always came through for me.

One pouty lip and widening of my eyes and I knew I had him. Ironically, for wolves supposedly being his natural enemy, he was a sucker for the 'puppy-dog pout.'

* * *

**AN: Yay! EJ and Rosie bonding :)**


	26. Convincing

_Previously on Life As A Black:_

_"Help me convince them to let me see Jesse."  
_

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six

EJ's POV

I only agreed to my sister's demands because, well, let's face it, Rosie was a wreck lately.

She had always been a little insecure, but since imprinting on Jesse, she's been extremely vulnerable. She thinks she's a failure as an imprinter because she's physically nine and he looks like he's nineteen. I don't see why that makes her a failure, but when she accidentally shows me her thoughts, that's the main point she has.

I wish she could see the person that everyone else sees. That would make her quit feeling like a failure. I people watch since I can't do anything else for fear of accidentally hurting someone like I almost did to Charlie, and I've noticed a lot.

She was so smart, but she thought that since she wasn't growing then it meant that no one saw her intellectual growth as well. She read Bella's entire library in a year! I mean, that's huge! I had only gotten through about a third of the collection so far and I had twice the time that Rosie had.

Bella tries to connect with Rosie, but the truth is, Rosie has so much more knowledge than Bella has despite the fact that our grandmother has done so much more. But Rosie doesn't see that, she only thinks that Bella doesn't like her. I tried to explain this to Bella when she lived with us, but she just looked at me, completely shocked.

Rosie has so much going for her, but she just doesn't see it. I wish I were lucky enough to be part wolf, vampire, and human. She can blend in with _any_ of the groups of our family naturally since she doesn't really pose a threat to any of them.

Not to mention the fact that Rosie is really pretty. She might think she's just a kid, and that she's not gorgeous like the rest of the females in our family, but even Aunt Rosalie is a little jealous of Jazzlyn's beauty (though she would never admit it because of her own pride).

She has captured people's attention since her birth by her unique genetic make-up, but also because she was beautiful like no one else. She's the perfect blend of our parents. She has pale russet that looks like body glitter on all the time instead of sparking like a full vampire and Nessie's brown eyes and Jacob's long straight brown hair.

I fear for Jesse's sanity when she's fully grown because she will certainly be a knock-out. If only Rosie could wait until then instead of being insecure about her looks now.

Everyone adores her, but she thinks that Nessie loves me more just because we have bonded over hunting or that Jacob (and everyone else, for that matter) loves Carlie more just because she's human and will phase when she's older. It's crazy to think that she doesn't know our parents love us all equally.

Sure, Nessie has bonded with me, but I Rosie has been invited to all but the really far away hunting trips. And she's only not invited to those because Jacob throws such a fit about not wanting his little girl to get hurt or worn out on such a long journey. Then he'll make a pretend campfire in the house and tent out of sheets for Carlie and Rosie for the three or four days we're away, so it's not like he's excluding her either.

The only difference between Jacob's love for Carlie and Rosie is that Carlie returns it easily. Rosie feels like she doesn't deserve the love because she's a "freak" so she doesn't accept the attention correctly.

I wish she weren't as insecure because then she'd see that our parents, and everyone else, really did love her as much as they said they did. But, until she accepts that, I'll have to do my best to try and convince her of that, and show her that I'm there for her.

Which is why I'm helping Rosie see Jesse. Because, for her sake, she needs to feel loved and, as much as I dislike Jesse, I know that he can do that for her. She accepts his love and adoration because he's her imprint and she feels she deserves it.

"Mom," I started off, looking at our forever young mother with a small smile. It was forced though, so it probably looked more like a grimace.

"Yes, EJ?" She asked, noticing my unease. Jacob was putting Carlie to bed since his scent always calmed the females in this family. Nessie used to think it was just her, but Rosie and Carlie both are soothed by his presence.

"I think you should let Rosie go see Aunt Becca." I stated, hoping she could see how serious I was.

"I already said she could go." Nessie said, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "What is this about, honey?"

"I just, well, I don't think you should be so hard on her about Jesse." I said.

"Aren't you the one who always says he's 'bad news?'" Nessie asked in disbelief. "Why the change of heart?"

"I just think that it might do her some good is all." I said, shrugging my shoulders and pretending that I didn't really care. "She really likes hanging out with him and maybe it might make her less moody for a little while...I don't know, it's worth a shot."

"Edward Jacob Cullen-Black, what aren't you telling me?" Nessie asked warily.

"Nothing, Momma." I said, glad that she could only project thoughts and not read them. "I just know how much Jazz misses Jesse. He was her first friend that isn't related to us, after all."

"Not by blood." Nessie added, "But Jesse is as much family as Cousin Amanda is."

I smiled. If only she knew that Jesse Uley would be her son-in-law some day. But I didn't say anything about it though because a promise is a promise. Because as much as I disliked Jesse, I knew that Rosie loved her imprint and wanted to keep him a secret from Jacob. Dad would surely kill him if he found out.

"I know that." I said instead. "That's why I want Rosie to be able to see him."

Nessie sighed. "I'll have to talk to your father again." She said finally, but I knew that my reasoning had worked.

Hopefully when Jazz returned, she wouldn't be so moody. I could only hope that the imprint magic worked it's, well, magic.

* * *

**AN: Don't hate Rosie. I know the last two chapters were intense, but she's what I call a "work in progress" character. I hope her brother's insight helped a little bit and please review :) **


	27. News

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Rosie's POV

The last twenty-four hours have been a roller-coaster. When EJ rushed up to my room to tell me that he had talked to Nessie, I was more than ecstatic to say the least. If he had convinced her to reconsider, then that meant that I would get to see Jesse.

And I _needed_ to see Jesse. I needed it more than the air I breathed. I hadn't seen him in six months and my imprint pull was literally pulling me forcefully and making my emotions go all over the place. My parents had been together her entire life, so neither had ever had to feel this pain. They were lucky...because this feeling sucked.

I know that if I explained that I had imprinted, then they would be more willing to let me see my bad boy "cousin." But I couldn't do it. I was selfish and young, but I truly believed that I had to keep Jesse a secret. Mom wouldn't understand because she sees him as another part of the family and Dad wouldn't be able to keep his paws off of the guy who has been "misguiding" me or, worse, he'd Alpha order him to stay clear of me.

I would take all of the punishments in the world if it meant that they kept Jesse out of it and let me see him.

Jacob delivered the news to me later that night.

"Your mother and I have discussed it," Dad began nervously and I twitched on my bed in excitement. "And we've decided that it has been too long since we all saw my sister's family."

My heart fell. All of us go see them? That wasn't what I wanted. But I listened anyways. Hopefully this would at least mean that I could see Jesse. Family + Jesse still had my imprint in it.

"So we're going on a family vacation?" I asked, not sure where he was going with this.

"Well, actually, I just got off of the phone with Becca, and she's having trouble with Amanda." Jacob said with a small sigh. "She's thinking about moving to La Push, since technically she has every right to be there as any of the Pack mothers."

"She's not a Pack Mom." I stated, now completely confused.

"Jesse is her son." Jacob said, looking hurt that I had insinuated that his sister didn't love her stepson of sorts.

"But not really." I said with a shrug, hoping he didn't read too much into it. "But if they're thinking of moving, then how are we going to get to see them?"

Last I checked, we were pretty much ran off of our own land because of our vampire DNA. Though Momma, EJ, and I had not even full vampireness, it was still enough to send the population into crazy multitudes for the wolves and their wives.

"I was trying to put this the easiest way I could, but the truth is, Becca just can't do it on her own, but she fears what is going to happen if she returns to La Push. That's why we've stayed away this long too." He went around in circles, confusing my mind even further.

"I'm so lost right now." I said honestly, shaking my head at my father. "What's going on?"

"We're moving to Tennesse to be near my sister." Jacob stated, a strange expression on his face as he took in the pure joy in mine.

"You're taking this a lot better than EJ did." He muttered and I could only grin up at him. "What happened to my moody 'teenage' five year old?" Jacob teased and I just spit my tongue out.

"I may be five, but I look nine." I said said sternly. "There is _no way_ that you're going to make me any younger than I already am."

"Fair enough." Jacob said, ruffling my hair and planting a kiss on my now messed up curls. "Your mother was the same way." He added, staring at me oddly.

"What is it, Daddy?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him and settling back on the bed.

"Nothing," he mumbled, but I knew there was something so I tilted my head to the side to see if he would continue. "It's just...you're growing up so fast, Rosie. I can hardly believe it."

"EJ's already sixteen." I said more as a question than a statement.

"I know." Jacob said, shaking his head. "But when your mother was growing up, it felt like everyday was a year so I didn't really feel her dramatic changes the way that Edward and everyone else claimed to. But being a father changes things...you're growing up too quickly, sweetheart." Jacob said with a small sigh.

I raised an eyebrow at him again. I hadn't changed in three years. How could I have been growing up too quickly?

As if reading my thoughts, or maybe I was projecting and didn't know it, Jacob answered my thoughts. "You are more mature for your age than even your mother was. And you're stubborn about it too. Nessie had everything handed to her because she was a 'miracle baby' with an imprint. But I can tell that you have been fighting for our attention, and I'm sorry that you've had to..."

"Wh-what?" I asked. Sure, I had been throwing more tantrums lately and had been fighting for attention from Carlie the perfect sister and EJ the slight screw-up lately because of the biting Charlie thing, but I didn't know that I was that obvious about it.

"I know you feel like Jesse's the only one who understands you." Jacob stated and I pulled back my power, double checking that I really wasn't projecting. "But your mother and I love you. And so does everyone else. You don't need to get in trouble or be perfect for us to love you like Edward keeps telling us you've been thinking." He advised with a warm smile.

I could only stare at him in astonishment.

"Now, it's past your bedtime, young lady." Jacob said, pulling the covers up over me lightly and kissing my forehead. "Do you want a story?" He asked. I had refused one since I turned three.

I nodded and let the words of Dickinson envelope me until I was in dreamland thinking about living next door to Jesse like Dad said we were going to. I went to bed that night completely out of my element.


	28. On the Road

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Edward Jacob's POV

We were completely moved out by the end of the week. I was upset that we were moving again, since I had grown to like my room in Maryland, but Aunt Becca needed help raising Mandi, so we were moving to be closer to them.

The actual move was nothing special, except for the fact that Rosie couldn't sit still to save her life. Technically, she was five, so it was expected of her on a long car ride, but still, she could of at least fell asleep the whole trip like my six year old twin Carlie did.

Only I knew that Rosie was excited because she was going to be living near her imprint. Mom and Dad thought it was because she missed hanging with her only friend, Jesse, which was mostly true. They just didn't know the extent of it.

I would have ratted out her imprinted status a long time ago, but she had confided in me and, as much as I knew that our parents would understand and support their relationship, she didn't think that was the case. Until she could wrap her mind around the truth in her own mind, there would be nothing I could do to convince her of it.

Rosie had been like that her whole life; she would get inside her own head and stubbornly stay there until she had a "realization" moment. Dad was always supportive when she had a "breakthrough" because he could see how she was growing on her own terms. Mom admired Rosie for it too, but she had been a quick learner so she had a little harder time keeping up with Rosie's slow pace sometimes.

I knew that this move was going to be good for Jazzlyn and, the more I thought about it, good for the rest of the family too. Mom hadn't had any girl friends since she was pregnant with Rosie and Dad needed family, especially Jesse in his fake Pack, so he could feel like the Alpha he was. And Carlie, well, Carlie was happy with whatever we chose for her; she always had been. My twin was a carefree human that would one day phase into a wolf.

I had always been fascinated with humans since I didn't really get much of a chance to interact with them, so I was glad that I wouldn't be monitored while we were in Tennessee. I would never, ever harm Cousin Amanda or Aunt Rebecca, but because I almost slipped with Grandpa Charlie, I would probably never get to see him again.

"Are you sure you don't have to tinkle?" Jacob asked Rosie sternly. She had been bouncing up and down for the last half hour. "We've got to make another pit stop anyways."

"I'm just excited to get there." Rosie replied honestly.

"What about you, EJ?" Jacob asked, looking back in the backseat where I was sitting between my sisters. One going crazy while the other slept soundly against my torso (not being tall enough to reach my shoulder yet).

"I don't have to go," I said, "but I could go for some fruit."

My stomach had been rumbling for the past five minutes, but I didn't want to slow our trip down. Most human food tasted bland, but anything with a ton of fruit or citrus gave a little kick to my taste buds.

"I'll see what I can do." Jacob said with a laugh. "It's a gas station, after all."

"I'm sure they must have some sort of fruit for him." Nessie spoke up quietly.

She knew better than anyone how hard it was to eat human food that tasted like cardboard. Luckily, she had gotten really good at it over the years because her imprinter was a wolf and they ate all the time. I, on the other hand, had no one to motivate me to eat that nasty stuff.

"You guys stay in the car, got it?" Jacob said sternly, looking me in the eyes in the rear view mirror. I was never going to be trusted again, was I?

"Understood." I said, trying to keep a glare out of my expression. I knew that I had messed up, but I wasn't really going to ever bite Charlie. At least, I wouldn't have if I had hunted before his visit. We hunted before we got in the car to move, though, so I knew I could trust myself today.

"Good." Jacob said, smiling at the three of us before he and Nessie dashed into the store. Nessie came back after a minute and started filling up the gas tank.

"You know he just worries about you." Nessie spoke up, trying to ease my discomfort.

"I know." I said honestly. "I'm just upset that he has to."

"We all make mistakes, EJ." Nessie said as she finished pumping the gas and returned the nosel to its holder.

"Yeah, but mine was kind of huge." I said with a sigh. "You never did anything that stupid."

We were interrupted by Jacob returning. He had his arms full of chips, drinks, and what appeared to be a strawberrry milkshake.

"Sorry, buddy." Dad apologized as he handed me the milkshake. "This was the closest thing I could find to fruit."

"That's okay." I said, taking a long sip of it just to show that it really was okay.

"Alright then." Jacob said, buckling himself back in and kissing Mom on the cheek like he always did before we started the car to go anywhere.

"Let's head to Tennessee, yall." He said, pretending to have a heavy country accent.


	29. Thoughts on Tennessee

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Rosie's POV

Tennessee was...well, I wouldn't say beautiful, since Maryland and Alaska had been so much prettier, but Tennessee was definitely more interesting than Alabama.

The state was mostly just corn fields and small towns; that is, until we passed Nashville.

"Oh, my gosh." I gushed, looking at the beautifully tall buildings glistening in the sunlight. They sparkled almost as much as Momma and EJ did in the sun. "Why couldn't Aunt Becca live here?" I asked, trying not to show my envy.

"Because," Jacob said with a laugh, "Jesse needs a wooded area to phase in occasionally."

"But on a_ farm_?" EJ asked, shaking his head teasingly. "No wonder she's going stir crazy."

"You have to remember not to eat her livestock," Nessie said with a laugh at the two of us, "no matter how convenient it is to hunt. Rebecca is still hesitant of us being partially vampire, and killing her pets won't really help that, now will it?"

"Of course not." EJ said, laughing along with her. I knew that my brother would never do anything to upset Becca or Mandi.

He loved them with a strange sense of protection that he had never shown to any of our other human relatives. It was probably because they weren't from Washington and weren't part of the group that had basically kicked us out; or maybe it was because they were innocent females that only had Jesse to protect them. Either way, he had always sucked up to Aunt Becca and she loved him for helping out.

"I don't do much hunting anyways." I stated, feeling excluded from their little joke.

"Well, you could always hunt with me." Jacob spoke up. "It'll be interesting to have Jesse in my head, though."

I smiled. I had almost forgotten that my imprint could phase too since we had only phased together once, back when they came to visit us in Alabama. I was a weak phaser, since I was only able to stay in form for an hour at a time, but now that I realized Jesse would be in my head to help me out, I was excited to try and stretch my limits.

"I'd like that." I spoke up, realizing that my parents were in the front seats and couldn't see my changed expression. "I think I might be able to go an hour and a half." I added, not wanting to jinx it.

"That'd be great." Jacob said and Nessie turned around in her seat to show me her smile of approving. EJ just rolled his eyes at me teasingly, knowing the real reason I wanted to be wolf.

Suddenly, Momma got distracted by the old familiar song on the radio and in the same instant, Daddy had it turned up louder. I smiled as they sung "their" song from back before she confessed her feelings for him and he was too naive to realize she loved him.

"...I was sixteen when suddenly I wasn't that little girl you used to see. But your eyes still shined like pretty lights..." She sung along with Taylor Swift, a twinkle in her own eye at the thought of her younger self being in love with his younger self, not knowing that it would all lead to this.

"...And our daddies used to joke about the two of us. They never believed we'd really fall in love. And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes. And said oh my my my..." Jacob sang to her, and I was glad that we were at a red light, or we would probably have crashed. Their eyes were locked on each other's with such intensity, I had to look away.

"...Took me back to the creek beds we turned up. Two A.M. riding in your truck and all I need is you next to me. Took me back to the time we had our very first fight. The slamming of doors instead of kissing goodnight. You stayed outside til the morning light..." Momma finished, the song having gotten interrupted by some weather bulletin.

"Will this town always get this much weather?" EJ asked with a grim frown. We had gotten used to the sun in Maryland, and I could tell that my brother wasn't liking the idea of moving somewhere where we'd be trapped by rain once again.

"Let's hope not, kiddo." Jacob said, knowing how much Nessie liked the sun too. We looked like we had body glitter on instead of sparkling like diamonds like full vampires, and though it was a little embarrassing for EJ at first, he had learned to live with it so that he could enjoy a warm sunny day with us.

"We'd better hurry though, Jake." Momma said lightly but urgently. "If this storm sets in before we get there, Becca will throw a fit." She reminded him of the time that we had shown up after a light rain and Daddy and I shook ourselves off...all over her furniture in the living room.

"No problem. I can get us there in half an hour." Jacob said, cocking an eyebrow at her as if daring him not to. "That's plenty of time before the storm sets in."

Momma just giggled like the teenager she looked. "But her house is still an hour away."

"Half an hour, promise." He said, grinning like a maniac before putting the pedal to the medal.

True to his word, we were at Aunt Becca's in thirty-four minutes.

We would have been there sooner, but Momma had to talk the cop out of giving us a speeding ticket. She had EJ moan and hold his stomach as if he were sick. Dad tried to hide his smirk as the cop bought the line about "rushing our sick son to the hospital." It was EJ's pale skin that really nailed it for the cop.

"Stay out of this storm, now, ya hear?" Officer Judd said, smiling at us and giving us directions to the closest hospital since we weren't "from around these parts."

I think I was going to like living in such a courteous town.


	30. Home Sweet Home

Chapter Thirty

Rosie's POV

I stayed by the car while my siblings ran ahead to greet our aunt at the door. Jesse was no where to be seen, and neither was Amanda, so I decided to wait until they were out there too. Actually, Jesse was the only one I really wanted to see anyways, so I didn't mind waiting.

"Aunt Rebecca!" EJ practically yelled, before he realized that it was un-manly for a 'sixteen' year old to do, so he straightened up and continued heading towards her for a hug a little slower than the run he had originally started out with.

"Becca! Becca!" Carlie yelled, not caring like her twin did, since she was their true physical age of six and it was acceptable. She ran to our aunt, beating EJ there, and wrapped her small russet arms around her.

Jacob and Nessie laughed from the car where they were getting all of our bags. Even though we had moved here for good, or at least "for good" in a mythical world time, we had packed lightly. Alice would be flying out for Christmas in a week, and there was no stopping her once she had a mission. Her exact words were "you'd better leave your old wardrobe behind because I plan on spoiling my family come Christmas."

"Where's Mandi?" Carlie asked impatiently once she had said hello to our aunt. Carlie had always been a 'straight to the point' kind of girl. That's why she got along so well with Bella-because both girls hated surprises and talk about nothing.

"Amanda is playing with some blocks, would you like to join her?" Rebecca asked with a smile at her niece that was twice her daughter's age. They had always bonded though, so the age gap didn't make a difference.

Before Becca led Carlie away, though, she wrapped her arms around EJ's tall form and gave him a little squeeze that he probably didn't even feel, what with his half-vampire skin and all.

"Would you just look at you!" Becca gushed, taking in EJ's new height again. Every time she visited, or we took a trip here to see them, EJ was always a different age.

Aunt Rebecca wasn't weirded out by it like Grandpa Charlie had been when Nessie was younger one day and then much older the next. She too had a "need to know" basis, but since she knew about werewolves thanks to Jesse, she just assumed it was something like that. Which, I guess, in a way, it was.

"Stop it." My brother teased, a faint blush on his pale cheeks at her compliment.

I had never understood their bond, but EJ loved Aunt Rebecca like a second mother. I think she made him feel normal in this crazy world full of mythical creatures. She didn't see him as a freak and, if it weren't for EJ, she would probably never have kept Amanda. She had been in a tough space three years ago, but EJ knew just what to say to make her attach to Mandi and end up not running from her problems with Jesse too.

"And where is Rosie?" Becca asked, gripping Carlie's hand lightly so that she could take her to see Mandi and loosely hanging her other arm around EJ's shoulder. He was technically an inch taller than her now, what with her model height of 5'8''.

I stepped out of the car, giving up on seeing Jesse first, and made my way over to Aunt Rebecca.

"Hey, Aunt Becca." I said shyly.

"Well, would you look at you!" Becca said, trying to pretend that I had grown too, even though it was obvious that I hadn't changed a day in the three years she's known me. "You still look as beautiful as that gorgeous mother of yours." She said, changing directions when she saw my expression.

"Thank you, Rebecca, though we both know you've always been the gorgeous one." Nessie said with a grin, coming up behind us and setting down her bag to wrap her arms around Rebecca.

Becca had to let go of my siblings to return the hug, but there was a wide smile on her face as she hugged her sister-in-law.

"I've missed you like crazy." Momma admitted. "And thank you for letting us stay in your house until ours is refurnished. Everyone will be down for Christmas, and then we'll be all settled in."

"As if I had to even consider it." Becca stated earnestly. "You guys are doing _me_ a favor, remember?"

"Sure, sure." Daddy said, finally finished grabbing the rest of our bags, when he came to join us on the porch.

"There he is." Becca said with a grin splitting her face like the Grand Canyon. "I was worried I wouldn't get to see my little brother before the day was over." She teased.

Even though Jacob was taller and larger than both Aunt Rebecca and her twin Rachel who I had yet to ever meet, he was still always going to be 'little brother' to Becca. It was her little term of endearment, though I once heard her call him Jake-Jake at the old house.

"I would have made it around to see you..." Jacob teased right back, "if you rang the dinner bell."

"You're wicked." Becca said, laughing huskily.

It was refreshing to hear that sound since all of the family we were allowed to see had tinkling-bell laughs or, in Carlie's case, a still perfectly angelic laugh that was just a little deeper. Jacob and I were the only ones with husky, deep laughs. It had always made me feel weird to be a female with such a deep laugh, but Nessie had always insisted that she knew many girls back on the Rez who shared my laugh.

"I'd better show you guys around then," she said at last, "before I go start on dinner."

"I'm all for that." Dad teased again, though it was true. Wolves ate like crazy.

"You sound just like Jesse." Becca said with another laugh. "If I didn't make him get a job last summer, we would have gone broke just by how much he eats!" She teased, but I was too focused on my own thoughts to care.

"Where is he now?" I asked, trying to be subtle.

"At work." Becca said as we headed inside. "He's been pulling double shifts since he found out you guys were moving down here."

My heart slumped. I had been looking forward to seeing my imprint the entire time we drove here, but now, he didn't even want to see me. He'd rather be working. I followed behind my siblings like a zombie, not even taking in the surroundings around me.


	31. Fatherly Concern

**AN: I'm not going to do this very often since this story is about the kids, but here's Jacob's thoughts for you guys. **

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One

Jacob's POV

"That was delicious, Becca." I complimented my sister, licking my lips at the taste of Billy's homemade spaghetti from them. It had been so long since I had it that it made me miss home a little bit.

Nessie had tried to cook it once or twice for me when we got kicked off the Rez, but there's just something about being a Black kid that makes it so much better. Dad had taught us when we were knee high and Mom was still around. That's probably why no one else could cook it the same; because when we cooked it, we would remember our mother's sweet smile and add extra love into the recipe in remembrance of her.

I loved my wife though, so I would never tell her that the spaghetti didn't measure up to my father's legendary standards.

"Thank you, Jake." Rebecca said, a light blush on her cheeks. "It's hard to forget the recipe." I smiled, knowing that her thoughts had taken the same path mine had.

Jesse snorted back a laugh, but only commented quietly that he was sick of having spaghetti. "We've had it every day since you guys arrived." He said lightly, with a typical teenage eye roll at the end.

"I kind of like it." Rosie said quietly, looking at Jesse with a strange expression. She had been more in her head than usual lately and I was beginning to think that seeing her friend Jesse wasn't really helping like EJ claimed it would.

"Yeah," Jesse said, a twitch of his lips into a smile before it disappeared, "I just like variety in my food. Two weeks of nothing but spaghetti..."

"Well, I could make dinner tomorrow." Nessie suggested, looking at Rebecca for permission. "I know how hard it is to cook for a couple of wolves." She teased, giving me a grin to end all grins.

Becca nodded, still not used to the idea of knowing what we were. I know it made her more than a little uneasy when Jesse first showed up. She didn't know that Nessie and EJ were part vampire, and Rosie as well, but she knew something was up. Luckily, she didn't seem to care about knowing all of the facts.

"Of course." Rebecca said, looking at me with a smirk. "Jake just seemed to love Billy's spaghetti so much, and I missed cooking it, so..."

"I like that it was Grandma Sara's too." Rosie said ligthly, not knowing how it caused a lump in my throat.

Becca laughed it off, not able to think about our dead mother for two long. That was part of the reason that she had taken off as soon as she was eighteen. It was too hard to live in the house where our mother had once lived. "I guess I should have known that not everyone could eat it every night."

"I'm cool, Rebecca." Jesse said, backtracking when Rosie didn't say anything more. "I didn't mean to start anything."

"Of course you didn't." EJ muttered under his breath, too low for my sister to hear. But I caught it. I would have to have a talk with my son about Jesse soon. For some reason, the two didn't seem to be able to get along.

"EJ, why don't you help me clean off the table." I said, when everyone seemed to have finished eating.

"Sure, Dad." He said, giving Jesse a serious look before he and Rosie went out for a run.

I felt safer letting Rosie practice phasing when she had someone with her, and since she always lit up when Jesse volunteered to take her, I had no problem with it. I had been in his mind enough to know that he wouldn't let anything happen to my children when he was around.

The room had pretty much cleared out, leaving only EJ and me in the kitchen.

Carlie had fallen asleep at the table and Nessie was washing her up in the bath so she could put her to bed. Carlie and Mandi were best of friends, despite the three year age difference, and spent everyday so far playing together and managing to wear each other out.

Becca was wrestling a slightly groggy Amanda into her pajamas right now and I could hear my sister's quiet laughter from here. It was comforting to hear. She had been such a wreck when she had practically begged my family to move here and help her out, but now she seemed to be fairing alright. Having Nessie around really seemed to help her understand how to deal with a young daughter and a wolf son.

"So..." I said, picking up the few plates around me and stacking them near the sink for EJ to wash.

"So...?" EJ responded. He seemed to know where this conversation was going, but was avoiding it.

"I want you to lay off of your cousin." I said finally, not sure any other way to say it. "Jesse has been helpful with getting Rosie to phase and courteous to your aunt and mother, for the most part. Unless there's something I don't know..." I said, trying my hardest to keep the Alpha tone out of my voice, "then I want you to be nice to your cousin."

"I'll try." EJ said, gulping back a secret in his throat. I could see that my Alpha-ness had gotten to him, even though that wasn't what I was trying to do.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" I asked, knowing from the look on his face that there was. "Please, EJ, I need you to tell me."

"I...I...can't." My son said, refusing to meet my eyes.

One thing for sure, I was going to find out why he didn't like Jesse if it was the last thing I did.


	32. A Present for Rosie

Chapter Thirty-Two

Rosie's POV

"Today was perfect, Jesse. Thank you." I said quietly, hugging my childsized body to his near adult one.

We had spent the whole day talking and laughing and just being carefree. It was easy to be myself around my imprint in a way that it wasn't around my family. I had to try to impress them, but any and everything I did impressed Jesse.

I picked him a flower as a joke, you know, like, I'm a little kid? But he _loved_ it. He tucked the stem into his shirt pocket and was wearing it proudly like it was an Olympic medal.

"I'm glad." Jesse said, bending down slightly to plant a kiss on the top of my head. "I have something for you." He said, catching me off guard.

I frowned. "But Christmas isn't until Thursday."

"I know." Jesse said, pulling away from our hug so he could reach into the small sling bag he had carried with him all day. I hadn't thought to ask him about it until now, since the only thing he had pulled out of it all day were water bottles. "But this is something that I don't think your father would approve of."

Jesse knew that he was a secret, and as much as he wanted to flaunt that we were soul mates (it's a wolf thing, don't ask me), he respected my wishes more. But keeping it a secret when we lived in the same house and only wanted to spend time with the other proved much more difficult than either of us assumed it would be.

I tilted my head to the side, not sure what Jesse could possibly give me that Daddy wouldn't approve of. Unless it was a kiss. But Jesse was really strict about _that_ desire of mine.

I might be equal to him mentally and emotionally, but physically he thought of me as a little sister. I could only hope that I started growing soon so I wouldn't have to wait so long. He was my imprint, so his desires outweighed mine.

"I've been pulling double shifts for a month now, ever since Becca announced that you guys were moving here, because I wanted to get you something special for Christmas, Jazzlyn." Jesse said, smiling when I smiled at my full name coming from his lips. Everyone else called me Jazz or Rosie, but Jesse got to call me Jazzlyn and he knew it.

"You didn't have to get me anything special." I said honestly. Just being around him was enough of a present every day. I didn't _need_ anything but him.

"But I wanted to get you it." Jesse said, his dark eyes lighting up in excitement just at the thought of his gift for me.

"I'm still working on your present..." I admitted, my cheeks flushing as I thought about the homemade bracelet I had been working on for months.

I restarted it about a thousand times, not liking how it turned out. I don't know how my dad had managed to make a new one every year for our mother. The string was delicate and it took a lot of concentration for me to weave it, but I knew it would be worth it when Jesse saw it. He knew enough about our legends to know what the colors would mean.

The gold shimmering color string represented our imprint bond, the light tan color I chose represented me, and the deep cherry russett represented Jesse. The three were supposed to wind around each other in an unbreakable bond, much like an imprint, and last for the rest of our lives.

It was literally an imprint symbol, showing the world that the person wearing it belonged to another. Every couple in La Push had made or received them, or at least that's what Mom and Dad always claimed whenever he would present her with a new one.

The only reason she got more than one was because she grew like crazy, and after seven years when she fully matured, he still liked their tradition too much to stop making them for her. I hoped that one day Jesse and I could have a tradition as cute as that.

"Are you ready for your present?" Jesse asked, pulling me out of my thoughts like he usually did.

I nodded eagerly, catching onto his excitement like wildfire. I reached my hands out in a grabbing motion, loving the smile that spread across his face when I did such a childish thing. He loved when I acted my real, or even physical, age.

He always said that it was because he was getting a normal experience that my father hadn't gotten with my mother. The two men had phased at the same time once or twice while we were here, but Jesse was always careful not to mention our imprint for my sake.

I didn't care the reason. Jesse made me happy enough to not care that I wasn't putting up a front and trying to be older like I still wished I was. He had been making me realize while our family was living with theirs that being a kid was the best thing right now. I had forever to be his wife and raise his children.

"Okay, close your eyes." Jesse chuckled when I complied immediately.

I felt something cold land on my opened hands, surprised when it wasn't a box for me to open. I opened my eyes slowly, my eyes fixed on the necklace in my palms.

"Wha-?" I asked, staring in wonder at the silver chain and locket.

"Open it." Jesse said in a whisper of excitement.

On the outside, it just had 'Jazzlyn' written diagonally on the oval locket. When I opened it, 'J&J 4ever' was written on one side of the locket and there was a picture of us that we took yesterday in a photo-booth in town on the other side.

"Oh, Jesse. I love it." I gushed, grabbing for the chain so I could put it on. I had a feeling I would be wearing this necklace for the rest of my life and I couldn't wait to start wearing it now. This was, without a doubt, the best Christmas present I had ever gotten.

* * *

**AN: I know it's Fourth of July weekend, but I like Christmas lol. **


	33. Aftermath

Chapter Thirty-Three

EJ's POV

After Christmas came and went, it was hard to keep Jesse and Rosie's imprint a secret any longer. I don't know why she thought that giving him an _imprint bracelet_ wasn't going to tip them off. But that was my little sister for you. Always surprising everyone.

Dad was angry at first. Quite angry actually.

Not because of the imprint though. He worshiped the ground our mom walked on and knew that Jesse did the same for Rosie even though she had been the one to technically imprint. No, he was upset that they had hidden it.

Dad Alpha ordered Rosie not to see him. Actually, his words were "you are not to lay eyes on the boy until...well, until!" He had been really angry.

I got in trouble for hiding it too, by the way.

I would have ratted her out when she first imprinted, but I knew how fragile Rosie was. She had grown up a little bit while we were here since she got to be around Jesse every day and he always improved her moods, but she was still so_ young_ and _confused_. She wanted to grow up quickly when all Jesse and our parents wanted was for her to be happy with the way she was.

Besides, there wasn't anything my parents could really do since I had already been on lock down for months, so ratting Rosie out would have been useless anyways.

In the end, I was put on Amanda's diaper duty. But that didn't even bother me since I love my niece. Besides, Mandi was always happy to have someone change her that wasn't her uncoordinated mother. I figured it was the least I could do for the toddler.

As for mom? Well, Mom was angry at Rosie as well. Or, well, I guess 'angry' wasn't the right word. It was more like 'extremely disappointed.' I don't think my mother has actually ever been mad at any of us. At least, not when I can remember.

But her disappointment was enough to cause an already emotional young girl to go over the edge. She would burst into tears whenever our mother looked at her and glare angrily at our father if he happened to glance in her direction even slightly.

As for Rebecca, she didn't know what to think. She had taken in Jesse as her son, and now he was going to eventually marry his 'cousin?' Jesse was grounded "for the rest of his life" as Becca said, but that didn't last. When Jake explained everything fully, and pointed out that technically Jesse wasn't related to my sister, she relaxed a little.

Needless to say, it took all three parents a month to let the two see each other.

He looked kind of like a crack addict waiting for a score and she looked like a...well, needless to say, she was miserable. It was harder on her because she was his 'protector' in the sense that Jacob was Nessie's. No one could deny Nessie's love for Jacob, but he would walk to the other ends of the world to make her happy. That was Rosie to Jesse.

It was a long month, let me tell you. Whenever I would walk in the hallway to get water or a new book, Rosie would slip a note under her door for me to deliver to Jesse and vice versa. It ended up to where I hating reading and liquids.

Dad lifted the Alpha order from Rosie and once she was free, nothing Rebecca said could keep Jesse from his little girl. He would sneak out to see her, get grounded to his room, then sneak out again. It was funny for the first week, then it was just sad. But he would take the punishments as long as he got to see Rosie.

It wasn't until Nessie finally got over her disappointment at Rosie's lies that she finally set Becca straight. She used her ability to show Becca just how painful it was to be away from an imprint or wolf by using her own experience.

Jacob had only been away from Nessie_ once_ in her whole life.

It was the day of Sara Sue Clearwater's birth. The little girl almost didn't make it because she got wrapped up in her own umbilical cord. But Jacob was there to deliver the baby the entire day because he was the only one with a medical degree on La Push ground. The Cullens had just moved away from Forks and we were getting ready to get kicked off (though we didn't know it at the time).

Becca gasped as my mother pulled her hand away from her face.

"It's that painful?" She asked, not sure she believed Nessie's emotions.

"For me, at least." Nessie said honestly. "But from one look at the way our kids are moping around, I think they might feel that strongly too."

And that was all it took to change Aunt Becca's mind. Though Jesse wasn't her biological son, she couldn't stand to see him in pain once she had felt what it was really like for him. He had been putting on a brave face whenever she was around, but when he was alone or just with me, he was miserable.

* * *

**AN: That was a bit of a filler chapter, sorry guys. But it was needed so the story can progress. Everyone loves Jesse now and knows about the imprint! :) **


	34. Ready, Set, Can't Go

Chapter Thirty-Four

EJ's POV

"EJ, where's your sister?" Dad asked, clearly irritated with Rosie for something.

But I couldn't let him know that I knew that. "Which one?" I asked, faking innocence. "I think I saw Carlie in the kitchen with mom..."

Jacob bit back a growl, but there was a smile on his face to show that he was teasing. "Your little one."

"Oh, _Rosie_." I said, letting a grin spread across my own face.

Ever since we had moved into our new house, right next door to Aunt Becca's, it has been hard to keep Rosie in the house.

That was mostly due to the fact that our birthdays just passed.

I was seven, though that meant that I was fully grown, and my twin sister Carlie was seven both physically and technically. Rosie, on the other hand, just turned six and couldn't be more ecstatic. She's physically twelve, but could pass for thirteen if she tried.

Jesse was going to have his hands full for a while now, that much was sure. A preteen with the mind of a young adult? Yeah, I'm glad that I don't have to deal with that problem myself.

"EJ, it's not funny." Jacob said, trying to keep the tension out of his voice. "We need to talk to all of you together, but I can't find your sister anywhere."

"Did you call Jesse's cell?" I suggested, knowing that was probably where she was.

Dad just gritted his teeth and nodded. "He won't answer."

"They might be phased then." Rosie had been practicing phasing since it was something that she and Jesse could do together, and had managed to get up to an hour at a time fully phased before her vampire side kicked in.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Jacob responded.

I didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Rosie didn't exactly obey the 'phase behind a tree' rule. That didn't mean Jesse looked on purpose. No, he actually was modest enough for the both of them and would turn his head away as soon as Rosie even started to shimmer back to human form.

But Dad still didn't like the idea of either of them seeing _anything_ of the other's. And Rosie wasn't one to look away or act embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Jesse is a good guy." I said.

Though at first when I found out about the imprint, I was furious at him for thinking inappropriate things about my little sister, but since moving here, he hasn't had even the slightest stray thought according to Edward.

And I know he isn't monitoring his thoughts because not even Rosie knows how to do that and since I was the one that inherited that mind shield, no one else has any secrets from Rosie or Edward.

Jacob sighed. "I know."

It took two hours to round the two of them up. Jacob ended up phasing and tracking down their scents. They had taken a run until Rosie had to phase back, and then were running/walking back since then.

When the family was finally all settled down together, our parents sat across from us, just looking at each of us.

"What would you guys say about visiting your aunt?" Jacob asked seriously.

"Um, Dad? We just visited Aunt Becca yesterday." Rosie said, and Carlie nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, Mandi and I made bracelets." My twin smiled and held up her tiny wrist. It was strange to think that we had come out of the womb at the same time. She was just so_ little_.

"No," Nessie said, shaking her head and trying to hide her smile, "your_ other_ aunt."

"Alice? Rose?" Rosie asked, her excitement radiating off of her. I could practically see the shopping trips in her mind, store after store of retail.

"I thought that they were in Mexico?" I asked. Last I heard, the two women had been whisked away by their husbands on luxurious trips that corresponded with the other's.

"_My_ sister." Jacob said at last, having enough of our guessing games. "Rachel."

I had been physically about four when we were kicked off of La Push land so I remembered bits and pieces of what happened. Apparently, the little bit of vampire we had in us was enough to cause all of the wolves' wives to go into labor after labor. Imprinted couples feared for their mates since wolves are literally made to mate so that they can create stronger children.

Were we allowed back now after seven years? I couldn't make myself believe it.

"When will we leave?" I asked, deciding in my head what to pack.

"Actually, EJ..." Jacob said, his eyes trying to meet mine even though it was obviously painful for him.

"I'm not going, am I?" I asked, making the connection.

"Don't worry, EJ, Bella and Edward are flying in so you'll get them all to yourself for once." Nessie said, trying to put a smile on her face to make this seem like a good thing.

But we all knew that I wasn't going because I was 'dangerous.' The last human I was around, I nearly bit. But everyone knew that I didn't mean it. If Charlie hadn't of gotten scared, then nothing would have happened.


	35. Family Vacation

Chapter Thirty-Five

Rosie's POV

It felt weird to be in the car without EJ. This was our first "family vacation" in years, and our brother wasn't going to be with us. It felt..._wrong_ somehow. In my six years of life, I had never been away from my brother for longer than a day or two (if he was hunting with Mom) but this week long trip was going to be weird to say the least.

But I understood why my parents made him stay behind with Bella and Edward. His mind had been filled with guilt over _almost_ biting Charlie, and I knew that he hadn't been around enough humans to control his thirst completely, despite being fully grown at seven years of age.

Nessie kept fidgeting in her seat, her mind wandering back to the decision that she and Jacob made to leave EJ behind. It hadn't been an easy one, but they decided it was best for everyone, at least until he could be exposed to more humans.

My mom didn't have that problem growing up because she lived in Forks and was constantly surrounded by the Pack and their imprints, not to mention Charlie, Billy, and Sue. She had grown used to the dull ache in her throat and had learned to ignore it. EJ had not.

As soon as we arrived in Washington, Carlie started bouncing in her seat. Even though she was technically a year older than me, my physical appearance was five years older than hers. I couldn't deny that I _liked_ that. It made me feel powerful, I guess. I wasn't small little Rosie anymore, I was just me.

It was strange to be physically twelve. I thought that being older and closer to Jesse's age would have made him feel better about my crush, but we were still as awkward as we were before. He wanted me to have my childhood not tainted with thoughts of the future, but with imprinting, I knew what was going to happen and I was anxious to get to that 'love' stage already. He was not, despite my best efforts.

We pulled up to an old worn out house that I had never seen before, but Carlie was all smiles. "We're here, we're here!" She said in a sing-song voice.

I envied the year of life that EJ and Carlie got to have here in La Push that I didn't get. Pretty much as soon as I was born, our family was told to leave. Though Carlie is human now, she still has advanced memory like a werewolf or vampire. No one knows which parent she inherited her memory from, but either way, she remembered her entire childhood...including Aunt Rachel.

"Why don't you guys run around back?" Jacob suggested to us with a smile. "I can smell a barbecue cooking and I'm sure Rachel would like to have the boys out of the house while she finishes up inside."

"Alright, Daddy." Carlie said, always the chipper one.

Wasn't she nervous about meeting our cousins, like I was? Probably not. My sister had never been one to bother with what other people thought. That was probably because she didn't have the ability to actually_ be_ in their heads like I was.

I could hear our parents greeting Dad's family from around the side of the house while we walked hand-in-hand. Carlie was trying to make me skip with her, but I wasn't having any of it. I was too nervous.

Two young boys, not much older than me technically, were sitting on the back porch, one with his hands in his pockets and the other with a frown on his face. I tried not to focus on their thoughts, but the frowning, shorter one was practically screaming in his mind about how much he didn't want to play with a couple of girls when he could be inside sampling the food instead.

"You're Johnny, right?" Carlie asked the taller of the boys. He nodded, his mildly long hair swaying back and forth.

Carlie smiled, victorious that she could tell them apart without even getting them introduced. "I'm Carlie Alison and this is my little sister Jazzlyn Rose…your cousins."

She continued when neither boy seemed to make the connection. Even though she was only six, her vocabulary was quite good. She was born to be a leader and spoke like it. "Our father is Jacob…your mom's little brother."

That seemed to clear things up for the boys. Joey, the less tall but definitely the cuter of the two, nodded. "Yeah, Mama told us that you guys were coming. She said there was a boy too though. ET or something."

Carlie and I giggled.

"EJ." I corrected. "He's not…feeling well right now." I lied, not sure how in-the-know they were about the whole werewolf/vampire thing since they obviously hadn't started phasing yet and from what Dad told me, Uncle Paul had stopped phasing a while ago.

"Yeah, but he will be better soon." Carlie interrupted, giving me a glare.

_What did I say?_ I thought to her but she just shook her head.

It turned out that Carlie had a lot in common with our cousins, though she was a girly girl to the core. The three of them hit it off and talked almost nonstop until lunch was served.

That was when I saw Aunt Rachel and Uncle Paul for the first time. She was pretty, and reminded me a lot of Aunt Becca, but she had less sadness in her eyes. I guess that was what an imprint's love will do to you. It made me hopeful that I would be that happy some day.

Lunch was delicious. Though everyone I knew knew how to cook, something about Rachel's home cooking really satisfied my taste buds. Though it was just hot dogs and ribs, it was _special_ to me. I think I had found my new favorite meal...if I could only get Momma to cook it like that. I had never really been particularly partial to human food since I could hunt as a wolf or vampire, but this was a good surprise.

I was more than surprised, though, with what happened after lunch though.

Joey pulled me aside, his expression pained. "You're one of them, aren't you?"

I looked at him, confused so he continued. "A…vampire. Like your mother."

I gasped. Momma and Daddy promised that they weren't going to tell our cousins what the three of us were, so we could have a chance at being around family without freaking them out. The plan was that if things went smoothly this trip, then we might move back here and bring Aunt Becca's family back too.

I couldn't believe they_ lied_ to us.

Then I thought about it, and knew that Joey had come to it on his own by the wild look in his eyes. He didn't really know, he just _knew_.

"Don't try to deny it, I can smell it on you." He explained, his words rushing together. "I may not be a werewolf yet but I sure have all of the 'before' effects, not too unlike your sister."

I could feel myself closing in as his true accusations continued.

"Tessa Uley explained it _all_ to me the other day. Apparently, I'm her 'imprint' so whatever I ask she's gotta answer." He smiled when he said this, but it didn't last very long. His smile soon turned to a frown as he thought about his next words.

Joey continued with a half growl. "I was curious about why most of the locals had moved after the Cullens left six years ago. Apparently, they didn't want to be here when the Cullens came back, or I guess maybe it was your mother's return that they were fearful of."

And then he said the thing that I knew would ensure that we weren't welcomed back on the Rez now, even after six years away. "You'd better keep your distance, _Paleface_, if you know what's good for you."

I gasped again, not sure how to react to that. No one had ever talked to me like that before. All I knew was that if my cousins didn't accept me, there was no way that anyone else at the reservation would. I just wanted to curl up in a bawl and cry my eyes out. But most importantly, I wanted Jesse here to comfort me.

Who would have thought that a family vacation could end so badly?


	36. Carlie

**AN: I know this is a huge jump, but we're fast-forwarding _s_**_**i**_**_x years_. **

**This story would just be a bunch of filler of the six years in between this chapter and last, and I'd rather not waste that much time since I, and so many of you lovely reviewers, want to get back to "The Black's Are Back." **

**Enjoy a first look at Carlie's POV and review please :)**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Six

Carlie's POV** *Yay! finally lol***

I sighed as I twirled a piece of my long curly black hair between my fingertips. It had been meant to be an exhale of breath, but I was in an irritated mood to say the least so it was somewhere between a growl and a sigh.

I was currently watching my little sister Rosie and her imprint flirt back and forth with each other. She's twelve, for crying out loud! Why isn't Dad freaking out about this? Though she looked fifteen, two years older than I did, she was still way too young to be allowed to act like this.

But Dad just sat in his chair across from them and flipped through the latest newspaper. He was on the hunt for a job. Well, _another_ job. His last one as a local mechanic in the small town of Henderson, Tennessee had only lasted three years since he couldn't look like a nineteen year old kid for any longer than a few years at a time before he had to quit.

I wished that Mom and EJ weren't out on a long hunt this weekend, because I could really use her advice right about now. I had _never_ been jealous of Rosie and the feeling was overwhelming me now.

It's not that there hasn't ever been a reason to be jealous of my little sister. I mean, she's _definitely_ pretty-she has pale russet skin that shimmers gorgeously in the sun and long straight brown hair that reminds everyone of our grandmother as a human and the same brown eyes that every female in our family has.

But I had always been too secure in my own self to care about competing with Rosie. But now that I was thirteen and started my "cycle," I was moody _all_ of the time and things that never upset me were now eating away at me.

Like Rosie and Jesse, for instance.

Jesse had always been there, her big brother of sorts, but lately, since her body had been aging, he had been allowed to respond to her crush when he hadn't been allowed before. And no one saw a problem with it since it was the imprint magic. Both of my parents understood what that was like; him having to wait for her, and her so desperate to grow up to be with him.

And I was jealous.

I didn't like_ like_ Jesse, if that's what you're thinking, but I liked the idea of "Jesse"...or rather, my own imprint. I know that it's rare for our tribe, but it seemed less likely that I wouldn't imprint than that I would, so I was just hoping that I would find my Mr. Right...and soon. Because if I didn't, I was going to go crazy.

"You have_ the_ cutest nose on the whole planet." Jesse cooed, reaching down to poke Rosie's nose playfully. She giggled in response, her whole body reacting to his chaste touch.

"Oh yeah?" Rosie asked, a grin splitting her face. "Well, you have the _second_ cutest nose on the whole planet." She touched his nose just as lightly, a blush gracing his cheeks.

They continued like that for hours, until finally I couldn't take it anymore.

I stood up, my legs bumping Dad's as I headed for the door.

"Where are you going, Carls?" Dad asked, looking up from the Help Wanted ads.

"To Aunt Becca's." I growled angrily. "I can't handle all of..._this_ right now." I threw my hand backwards towards my sister and her imprint and Jacob nodded in understanding.

"Don't stay too late. Mandi has school in the morning." Dad said, nearly wincing at the expression on my face when he said the word school.

I was suddenly envious of my ten year old cousin too.

I grew _normally_ as a child, I was thirteen and _looked_ thirteen, so I didn't understand why I wasn't allowed to go to school with human children like Amanda. But whenever I asked, I was always told that I could 'possibly' phase someday, so my parents thought it best that I not be around humans when it happened. I think that they didn't want EJ and Rosie to feel left out though.

"Carlie, are you okay?" Dad asked, noticing my scowl.

"I'll be _fine_." I growled in response, taking the last few steps out the door and smiling slightly when it slammed behind me.

I ran as fast as I could, my legs carrying me farther than I expected them to. I didn't even notice when my two legs transformed into four or when my clothes shredded into the wind.

Looking back, I think it's ironic that I had missed my own first phasing due to my anger...


	37. A Sister's Mind

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Rosie's POV

I guess I should have been used to change by now, since that was all that had been happening my whole life and I was now twelve, but I was still caught off guard when I first learned that Carlie had phased.

I mean, we had all expected it-you could _smell_ the werewolf genes in her-but at thirteen? I was expecting fifteen or sixteen at the earliest. Dad, the _Alpha_ of Quilluite tribe, didn't phase until he was seventeen and started hanging out with Grandma Bella and reacted to the vampire smell of her new best friends.

So, for Carlie to phase this early, it had to mean something, right?

I myself had only phased so early because of the vampire DNA in me. The two forces triggered the other one, though my human side kept me from aging normally.

Dad and Carlie took a trip down to La Push to make sure that it wasn't unusual. Tribal legends were something that were not allowed to be discussed over the phone. I was offered to tag along, since I'm part wolf too, but I declined. Ever since meeting our cousins and having nightmares about Joey's hurtful words, I had never visited La Push again.

Besides, I had Jesse here so I didn't see the point in taking a weekend to travel to see people who clearly didn't want me there. I could see it in their eyes that I was a freak and I wasn't putting myself through that if I didn't have to.

"Hey there, sweetie." Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear...

I grinned at my imprint as he ruffled my hair. Though I was still too young to be considered a "lover," I was allowed to flirt with Jesse and progress my crush now that I looked fifteen. That was how old my mom was physically when she and Jacob started progressing their own romance. She had been five and a half at the time.

"Hi-ya." I said, trying to push his arm away so he couldn't mess up my hair anymore. I let out a giggle when my arms were too short to bat him away. "Qu-it it." I teased, giving up and trying to fix my hair as he messed it up. "You're messing up my hair."

"I'm sorry, Jazzlyn." Jesse said, biting his lip to keep from smiling at the mess he caused. "But you know..." He grinned now, and my heart nearly skipped a beat as I took in his pearly whites. "You look kind of cute with your hair like that..."

I gaped. He thought I looked cute when my hair wasn't perfect? That didn't make any sense.

"R-really?" I asked, my heart beating violently against my chest and I hoped that he couldn't hear it.

"'Course." Jesse said, shrugging his shoulders, though he smirked to show me that he could indeed hear my heartbeat. "You always look cute, Jazzlyn."

I was blushing beet red when EJ came into the room.

He shot the two of us a glare, but didn't say anything.

I knew that EJ never fully approved of my imprint (only because he was so much older than me) but after years of living down the street from Aunt Becca's family, it's hard for him to deny that Jesse is innocent. Me, on the other hand, EJ has every right to be worried about.

It's so hard to be patient when I know that my soul mate is sitting right next to me. I don't know how my mom managed to wait for hers. Then again, she only had seven years to wait-I've already endured through_ twelve. _I would go crazy if I didn't start growing again soon.

"Did you have fun on your hunt?" I asked EJ, trying to veer his thoughts, and mine, away from the fact that I was practically sitting on Jesse's lap.

Mom and EJ went hunting once a month so that neither would be too thirsty while we ate human food the rest of the month. I went occasionally, but hunting as a vampire was hard for me since I wasn't as fast or strong as even a half vampire like the two of them.

Besides, I figured that I was slowing them down. Neither ever said it or thought it when I was around, but I knew that that was just because they were working around my ability. Their unheard subconscious thoughts were practically _screaming_ at me to let them go by themselves.

"Yes, I snagged some deer." EJ said, though his thoughts told me that he didn't exactly like deer blood as much as our mother did.

"Yummy." I said, a bit sarcastically and smirked at my brother.

Though he was a shield like Grandma Bella, he frequently forgot that he was supposed to put it up. Not that it took effort or anything, but it was just so easy to let it slip if he didn't think about it when he woke up.

"Stay out of my head." EJ hissed lightly, though I could see that he didn't mean it harmfully.

"You're the one who doesn't have your shield up." I teased back, trying not to get distracted as Jesse played with a piece of my curly black hair.

Nessie walked in the room and I smiled at my mother. "Deer good this time of year?" I asked. It was getting colder as fall drifted into winter, but that just made hunting even more fun and challenging.

"Always." Mom replied, _You should come with us next time, Rosie. You haven't hunted in such a long time. _

I nodded at my mother's thoughts, though I wasn't really sure if I was going to hunt again anytime soon. Since I had been perfecting my ability to stay phased so that I could hang out with Jesse more, I had been neglecting my vampire side.

I wished that I could chose to be who I wanted to be, instead of being this half human, quarter vampire, quarter werewolf creature. Sometimes I wished to be more like my sister or brother.

But you know what they say about wishes...


	38. Honesty Hurts

**AN: Skipping some time again-_only_ three years this time :) **

**My other story, "Completely OneOfAKind" is consuming my attention and until I get back to "The Black's Are Back," this one will be hard not to do a bunch of filler chapters for, sorry guys; so instead, I'm jumping time to give you guys interesting chapters. We're almost there ;)**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Eight

EJ's POV

It took Carlie a year to learn how to phase properly. A whole _year_ of having to pick up the pieces of her shredded clothes and replace doors that had gotten knocked off their hinges when she phased in the house. Mom was not happy about that, but Jacob always talked her down from whatever mood she was in.

If I could take back the brief images of seeing my sister phase in rage, I would,_ trust me_, but sadly, they're burned into my brain permanently. My twin had never had a temper until she started phasing, or maybe it was because she 'became a woman' only a few short weeks before that; either way, I had never seen my sister so temperamental.

Jacob claimed it was normal for a new werewolf to have a bit of a temper, but I was still worried about my twin. We were now sixteen and she had been able to control herself for two year after a year of mishaps, but that still didn't make it any easier for me.

It was strange when she phased so early in the beginning and all of us had panicked.

But after Carlie and Dad went to talk to the Tribal Elders, we learned that she wasn't the only early phaser. Vanessa and Theresa Uley phased before puberty, Tim and Tom Clearwater-Call phased a few months ago, and even one of our cousins had phased before his fifteenth birthday. I'm not sure if it was Joey or Johnny, but that part didn't really matter.

All that mattered was that this new generation of wolves was powerful...and that scared me.

I know, I know, 'but EJ, you're a half vampire, why are you scared that the wolves in La Push are powerful?' I'll tell you: because I know that my family is getting anxious to return back there.

The Original Pack-Sam Uley, Jared Richard, Paul Peters, Embry Call, Leah Clearwater, Seth Clearwater, and Quil Ateara-had mostly all stopped phasing. Sam quit for Emily, Jared and Kim moved off the Rez, Paul stopped phasing for Aunt Rachel, Seth for his imprint Amber, and Quil for Claire.

Embry and Leah phased from time to time, but only to keep an eye on the children who would take over the Pack soon. They were slowly aging, but not by very much.

Since they weren't all wolves and following wolf instincts anymore, it would be easier to control themselves if say, _I don't know_, a family with two half vampires and a quarter vampire showed back in town. _Hypothetically_, of course.

"Would you quit with the mopey thoughts?" Rosie teased lightly, and I spit my tongue at my little sister. "I, for one, am excited at the possibility of going to a normal school."

I scoffed. "_Normal_, yeah."

Rosie frowned and even Carlie was looking at me strangely.

I tended to talk before speaking whenever Nessie and Jake weren't home and neither of my sisters (even Rosie who was constantly in my head) were used to my blunt thoughts and words.

Our parents were on a date night since Carlie and I were both physically seventeen and Rosie was physically sixteen, all of us looking a year older than we all were.

As soon as I became fully grown, our parents had started easing the responsibility of watching my sisters over to me. I appreciated that, since they still were wary about me going anywhere near Grandpa Charlie...or rather, I found out thanks to Rosie,_ he_ was afraid to be near me.

"What do you mean?" Carlie asked, trying not to growl at me. She might be able to control when she phased most of the time, but that didn't mean that she was perfect yet.

"La Push High isn't exactly a school that Amanda would go to, is it?" I asked, making my point without even needing to say anything else.

Rosie's eyes closed briefly as she read the thoughts that I wouldn't say out loud in front of Carlie. My twin had never been able to understand what Rosie and I felt like sometimes because we were part vampire since she was all wolf and it was normal for to be alive.

Cousin Mandi was_ human_ and got to go to a_ human_ school.

_If, _and that was a BIG 'if', we were allowed to move back to the Reservation, we would be going to school with people who knew exactly what we were. There would be no hiding our scents from those who had phased, and with it being such a small town filled with only a few families left, it would be hard to keep it a secret from the normal humans there.

I, for one, did not want to be labeled the enemy on my first day of school.

"You're not the enemy, EJ." Rosie said softly, her eyes meeting mine knowingly though. "None of us are..." She added, and I could tell that her mind was going where mine was.

I had heard her crying the night the family got back from the family vacation to visit Aunt Rachel that I wasn't allowed to go to. It took me a week to pry the facts from her, but when I did, I was angry. No, angry wasn't the right word. I was livid.

How _dare_ one of our cousins talk to her like that! I wanted to travel down there and _end his life_ for even thinking thoughts that would make my baby sister cry like that.

But Rosie somehow managed to trick me into believing that she was alright about it and that it would only stir up trouble if I told our parents.

Jazz had been able to trick me into keeping her secrets since she was a toddler; maybe it was because she was my little sister, or maybe it was because we had been the same physical age for quite awhile and helped each other, or maybe it was just because she_ needed_ my help whereas Carlie had always been one to stand on her own two feet.

The reason never mattered to me-I had always kept Rosie's secrets and probably would continue doing so for the rest of our lives.

"Well, _I_ think it's going to be fun." Carlie stated, trying to break my staring contest with Rosie.

Though Carlie would never admit it, she hated that she couldn't relate more to me and Rosie, or even Nessie for that matter. But she never let it get her down too much. Carlie was dazzling like Grandpa Edward and pretty like our aunts, though she definitely took after our father in the genes department. She was just _Carlie_.

"Of course it will be." Rosie said, choking back on the lie in her throat. But my twin didn't even notice.

Jazz and I both knew that Carlie would fit in on the Reservation...and we would not.


	39. An Imprint's Wish

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Rosie's POV

"I don't understand why you can't come with us." I said for maybe the hundredth time today.

"'Us?'" Jesse teased, but I just gave him a small shove.

"Okay, fine." I said, honestly. "Me. I don't understand why can't you just come with _me_ now?"

Jesse smiled at me, though his eyes were sad. We both knew that talking about it would not help, but I was still upset. I hated to think of being away from my imprint for even a moment, let alone for three months. Jesse would be visiting when he went on Christmas break.

It was our last morning in Tennessee before we were scheduled to move back to La Push. EJ was already sitting in the car, sulking. This was going to be a really long trip later this afternoon and it was not something that I looked forward to.

It took a lot of convincing, but Carlie finally won our parents over. A 'normal' experience was waiting for us in La Push. We were taking a week to get used to our new house and would enroll in school in the fall with our cousins and all of the other wolves.

That wasn't what upset me though. I _knew_ that going to La Push High would be difficult-I didn't need my mind reading ability to know that not all of the kids thought that it was safe for our family to be moving back-but I stood by the decision to go to school with people that are like us...or like Carlie, at least. She deserved to have a chance to be normal.

No, what I was upset about was the fact that I would be sixteen (and fully grown, mind you) the next time that my imprint saw me and he had yet to ever kiss me.

Aunt Becca didn't want Amanda to have to switch schools when she had been at the same middle school her whole life, so they would be staying behind for one more year until Cousin Mandi graduated from the eighth grade. She was thirteen already and I couldn't believe that so much time had passed since I imprinted on her sort-of brother.

Jesse had to stay back to graduate from high school. Though he was much too old to be there for the first time, he was. When he started phasing, he had taken a few years off to get himself under control and Aunt Rebecca had made him go back to the grades that he skipped. He would be a twenty-six year old high school graduate in nine months, though he didn't look a day over nineteen.

He was going to come up and visit on my birthday though. We would be still putting away boxes at the new house, but I knew that I wouldn't care. We only had to be away from each other for two days until we would be forced to be separated for three months. Since I turned five and moved here, we hadn't been separated for more than a weekend.

"I can't go _yet_." Jesse said, trying to make me smile as he emphasized on the 'yet' part. "You know I would if I could, babe."

I smiled at his new nickname for me. 'Babe' 'baby' 'honey' 'sweetie'-all of them made my heart flutter crazily whenever they came from Jesse's lips.

Being fifteen was definitely something that I liked, though being sixteen was much, _much_ more appealing.

I had three days until my birthday, the day that would mark my full growth, and I couldn't wait. Jesse had been waiting for thirteen years for me to grow up enough for him to consider a mate. But I was seventeen physically and would be forever eighteen in three short days and then no one could stop us.

"I know you would." I said with a sigh, trying to control my hands that had slowly moved from resting innocently around his neck to sprawled in his thick hair. I had made it my mission to get Jesse to kiss me before I moved. "I just...I'm going to miss you."

"Oh _really_?" Jesse asked, his lips curling into a smirk.

I scoffed. "Of course. How could I not?" I teased, pulling lightly on the hair that was caught between my fingers. "You're just so..._comfy._" I said, knowing that he hated when I referred to him as anything other than tough and manly. Stupid wolf.

Jesse growled, his body reacting to my words. "There's nothing 'comfy' about me, baby." Jesse said seductively, with or without meaning to do it on purpose-I honestly couldn't care either way.

My eyes locked onto his and I could hear my heart beating embarrassingly in my chest. I felt my cheeks redden, but didn't dare look away from my imprint now. This was_ it_. I could _feel_ it. Jesse was going to finally give in and kiss me like I so desperately wanted him to.

My face moved closer to his, my grip on his hair helping me pull him closer to where I wanted him to be. I fought back an insane smile as my eyelids fluttered closed in anticipation.

I could feel Jesse's warm breath against my lips seconds before his lips touched mine. Fireworks, explosions, ringing bells-this kiss was nothing short of a Fourth of July special.

I molded my lips with his, feeling the intense heat of his skin more with each gentle kiss he bestowed. I could kiss Jesse forever, and I felt like I had, before my head started getting dizzy and my knees _literally_ became too weak for me to stand.

We both pulled away, gasping for breath.

"Wow." I whispered, my lips still tingling from where Jesse's had just been.

"Wow is right." Jesse commented, his dark eyes glued on my face taking in my expression.

Suddenly, leaving seemed like the_ last_ thing that I wanted to do.


	40. Full Circle

**AN: As the last chapter, I figured it'd be a nice touch to get to hear from one of the children's parents for a change. Enjoy and review :) **

**And don't forget that "The Black's Are Back" is the sequel to this one! I went back and changed a few things, so it might do you all some good to reread that one before I start posting new chapters. **

* * *

Chapter Forty

Nessie's POV

"You have_ two seconds_ to get in the car Jazzlyn Rose Black!" My sweet, though clearly frustrated husband yelled from the driver's seat. "Or...Or we're leaving you!" He bluffed and I had to keep the smirk off of my face.

"I think she'd be okay with us leaving her." I said honestly, touching Jacob's arm to show him how I would feel if _I_ were the one being separated from _my_ imprint.

"He's going to visit in November and she'll see him in two days when he brings the last of our furniture down." Jacob said, clearly still confused.

I sent him a rush of my love for him and then replaced it with the longing and want that I had experienced on the one single day in our history where he wasn't by my side.

Jacob winced, hating that he had caused me that pain even accidently, but scoffed. "Rosie's just a kid, she doesn't understand love yet."

"She'll be sixteen in three days." I reminded him quietly, looking in the rear view mirror at our other two children. EJ was pouting and Carlie had a huge grin on her face. The twins each had earphones in their ears, but I knew that only Carlie was actually listening to her Ipod.

"She's not grown yet." Jacob protested and I was instantly reminded of those same words coming from my father's lips.

As much as I loved being imprinted on as a baby, I was silently glad that only Rosie had felt the effects of the Quilliute magic at such a young age. I don't think I could handle it if my already strong, confident daughter Carlie had had someone to boss around or cave to their every whim.

"Jake, we had sixteen wonderful years with our youngest and two more until she finishes high school. We got _lucky_." I reminded him, hoping he understood that I was okay with letting her go once she finished school. "My parents only had seven very short years with me before I was fully grown."

"She's still my little girl." Jacob said, letting out a small sigh.

"And she always will be." I said matter-of-factly. I felt a strong connection to both of my parents still, even though I hadn't lived at home in nearly two decades. I knew that when our kids were ready to leave the nest, all three of them would still confide in us like they do now.

"Promise?" My wolf asked and my heart nearly broke at the sight of him being so vulnerable.

"I promise." I said, leaning in for a kiss. It wasn't anything too risque since two of our children were in the backseat, but it was a reassuring kiss.

"Ew, get a room." Rosie said, her cheeks red with embarrassment as she scooted in next to EJ in the car.

"I could say the same thing to you and Jesse." EJ teased quietly, and I just barely heard the words myself so I knew that it was supposed to be a secret.

Unfortunately, Jacob heard our son too and growled lowly. "Why would Rosie need a room?" He asked, his tone in full Alpha mode.

_Stay calm, babe._ I said through my gift, my hand still intertwined with his.

"I...uh...um..." EJ stuttered and Rosie's cheeks were now the color of her red t-shirt.

Rosie reached out, her pale russet colored arm latching onto my shoulder.

_We kissed, Mom._ She sent me, the back of her mind still relishing in the moment of pure bliss that only an imprinted couple could truly understand. _Please don't tell Daddy...he'll kill my Jesse for sure._

As soon as she removed her hand, I I nodded subtly, smiling to myself at the memory of begging Alice to keep the same secret for me about Jacob. Rosie made me feel like I was that little girl again, even though she would look older than me in a few days.

My daughter was so much like me (and Jesse so much like Jacob) that it was scary sometimes. Jesse was always patient waiting for his imprint to mature, the exact same thing that Jacob always claimed, while Rosie was in a rush to grow up and be with him, much like I had been.

"Jacob, we have to get on the road or we'll hit traffic." I said sternly, letting him know that the subject was to be dropped.

He glanced in the mirror one more time to look at Rosie's pink cheeks but knew that as long as I knew what our daughter's secret was, if I didn't want to tell him then it was for her own good. And his benefit too-he liked the "less I know, the better" rule when it came to his teenage daughter with an imprint.

"I underestimated Edward's control when I imprinted on you as a kid. It is definitely harder than I thought it would be." Jacob muttered under his breath and I couldn't contain the giggle that erupted from my own lips at his confession.

Then he said the thing that I laughed about until the rest stop in Arkansas. "_Thank God_ I'm not a mind reader too or I would have lost it years ago..."


End file.
